A Long Time Dead
by haveyouseenmyhaggis
Summary: What if, instead of Owen, Ianto died and was brought back as the living dead? What would Jack do? How would things work out? Dark with lots of angst.
1. There's Nothing I Can Do

**Title: A Long Time Dead**

**Summary: What if, instead of Owen, Ianto died and was brought back as the living dead? What would Jack do? How would things work out? Dark with lots of angst.**

**Author's Note: This was written as a response to a challenge set by montypython203. I hope everyone enjoys this story! And I will try and update as regularly as I can but I have exams in six weeks. I have the next few chapters written. **

**Dedication: This is dedicated to montypython203 and I hope this story does your idea justice. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Torchwood._**

* * *

"C'mon on, let's get out of here," Jack said urgently, looking around at the rest of the team while Tosh finished running the shut down programme. The whole Pharm was closing off. It felt good to see a mission working out the way they wanted it too, bar a few problems here and there. They'd done their job and it was time to get out.

"Did you really think I was just going to let you walk away?" Aaron Copley sneered, startling everyone. Nobody had heard him coming, "You've ruined everything I've worked for." Everyone was horribly aware of the gun in the Professor's steady grip.

"Now let's not be stupid, okay?" Owen said slowly raising a hand carefully as though to hold the Professor back. "We're both rational men, we're scientists."

The rest of the team watched with bated breath. Professor Coplely's expression didn't change in the slightest as Owen inched forwards.

Ianto caught his breath slightly; Owen was going to get hurt. Copley wasn't the sort of man to be talked down by someone who had just infiltrated and brought down his workplace. Ianto crept towards the SUV, to the open passenger door. Nobody noticed his movements; they were all captivated by what Owen was doing. He pulled out the gun that was concealed in the glove compartment.

"I know you don't want to shoot her," he heard Owen say calmly but with a slight warning tone. He certainly knew what he was doing. Or thought he did, anyway.

"Put the gun down," Ianto suddenly said, spinning round and aiming his own weapon in Copley's direction.

Then, all at once, three things happened. First, there was the terrible, world-shattering gunshot. Then came the inexplicable pain in his chest. Then the next gunshot sounded.

Ianto felt himself hit the ground and felt the air knocked out of him. He couldn't think clearly through the dizzying pain in his chest. He could vaguely hear the team talking to him urgently. He could feel Jack's hand in his, willing him to hang on. He could hear Owen and Martha panicking over him, trying to reach him.

"Talk to me, dammit, Ianto!" Owen said, evident fear seeping in to his voice.

"Please, Ianto, hold on there. Look at me, Ianto, please," Jack begged, trembling. He couldn't lose Ianto. He just couldn't.

Owen's face paled suddenly as he realised Ianto couldn't hear them anymore. "Jack…" he said quietly, struggling to speak past the lump in his throat.

"No," Jack said, shaking his head violently as he tried to hide from the truth.

"He's dead," Martha whispered, shocked.

"No!" Jack repeated again, disbelieving.

Tosh stared blankly at the scene, confused and upset. She couldn't take in what had happened. Ianto? Dead? It had all happened so fast. Copley shot Ianto, Jack shot Copley, and Ianto was… Ianto was _dead._

Gwen clasped her hand to her mouth and shut her eyes. Ianto was always there. He was the one who held the team together and did all the odd jobs nobody else would do. He was just _there. _Torchwood would be a very different place without him. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't be gone. It would just be _wrong _without Ianto.

Jack hugged Ianto's body close to him and buried his head in the other man's shoulder. He smelt of the familiar aftershave Jack had grown to love. He was still warm. He was still _Ianto. _He wasn't gone. He had to still be there. He couldn't be dead! No!

"Just do something, Owen!" Jack begged, his eyes frantic when he looked up at the young doctor.

"There's nothing I can do," Owen said, resting his head in his hands as he sat on his knees. He hated it when someone he could have helped died. He was a doctor yet he failed to make someone better. To him, it just didn't make sense.

Jack seemed to crumple in front of them. His eyes lost focus and it was as though he wasn't seeing anything anymore. His grip loosened on Ianto and the Captain slumped to the ground. A stray tear rolled down his cheek.

The night seemed colder than it had been earlier, but perhaps the chill was nothing to do with the weather. Wordlessly, Jack rose to his feet.

"Jack?" Gwen said quietly, taking his arm gently and leading him to the SUV. She wasn't used to seeing the Captain so weak and powerless; it just wasn't how Jack Harkness was. He was usually so full of live and energy. She could see no trace of that now. "C'mon, let's go back to the Hub."

"Ianto…" Jack whispered looking haunted and lost. His already confusing and lonely world had just been turned upside down in one blow.


	2. I Can Bring Him Back

**Author's Note: Big thanks to everyone who reviewed! It was great to see so many people had read this and enjoyed it! Here's the next chapter. **

* * *

Owen drove the SUV back to the Hub. Gwen sat in the passenger seat, her eyes glazed with tears that weren't ready to fall. Jack, Tosh and Martha were sitting in the back seat. Ianto lay in a stretcher in the rear of the vehicle along with Copley. They all drove in silence. Nobody had anything they wanted to say.

The journey back to the Hub was neither long nor short. It simply was. To the team, there was no expression of time to describe how long it took. When they eventually did troop into the Hub, Martha and Owen carrying Ianto's stretcher between them, nobody knew what to do with themselves.

Ianto was laid in the autopsy bay. They would need to do an autopsy. Owen knew it would be best done as soon as possible. Then they could have time to come to terms with things. Jack sat down heavily on the metal stool beside Ianto.

"I'll… I'll do the autopsy, if you want," Martha offered looking at Owen.

"No!" Jack suddenly snapped, looking agonised.

Owen blinked, "What?"

"I'll bring him back," Jack said firmly, "I'm going to bring him back." His voice bore no trace of doubt or question. He was merely stating a fact. "Don't touch him till I come back."

And with that, Jack Harkness ran out of the Hub and out into the darkness outside. Everyone watching in stunned confusion as the Captain ran off.

* * *

It felt like an incredibly long wait for the team. Jack was gone for hours. Owen paced the room anxiously, fidgeting with his pen. Martha and Tosh sat quietly on the sofa just watching the clock.

Gwen was on the phone to Rhys. "I'm sorry it's so late," she said softly.

"You alright?" Rhys asked, drowsiness evident in his voice.

"Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. If Jack were going to do as he'd said, it wouldn't do to have Rhys believe Ianto was dead. She spun around slowly in the revolving chair behind her desk and sighed, "Just been a very long day and something… Something came up."

"And you can't tell me what it is?" Rhys asked with a small trace of hope in his voice.

"No, sorry," she replied wishing more than ever that she _could _tell her boyfriend.

"So I shouldn't be expecting you home tonight?" Rhys said, dejectedly.

"Sorry," Gwen said again, sighing miserably.

"You sure you're okay?" Rhys checked. He could hear the doubt in his voice and she wanted so badly to run home and hug him. She'd tell him all about what happened to Ianto. He'd understand. He'd make her feel better. He'd be able to make things right again. He loved her and he would know what to say.

"I'm fine," she lied again. "Sorry, Rhys, I have to go."

"Oh," he said sadly, "Well, be careful. Love you."

"Love you too," Gwen whispered before hanging up the phone and bursting into tears. Jack couldn't bring Ianto back, of course he couldn't. After the whole fiasco with Suzie Costello there was no bringing back the dead for Torchwood. That was a time long gone.

She was suddenly distracted when the cog door rolled open. Everyone looked up and watched as Jack strode back in clutching a box. He hurried straight into his office and everyone followed him curiously.

"What you doing, Jack?" Owen demanded. "What's that?"

Jack smiled slightly and opened the box. The team and Martha crowded closer to see inside. Gwen gasped in surprise, "You can't use it! Not after Suzie!"

"C'mon Jack, she's right," Owen said with pain in his eyes. He could see Jack desperately wanted Ianto back. However, no matter how much he wanted it, the resurrection gauntlet was just not right.

"I'm using the glove," Jack said firmly, "I'm bringing Ianto back, like I said." The Captain picked up the ominous metal glove and carried it out of the office towards the autopsy bay.

"What is it?" Martha asked Owen in a hushed voice as they hurried after Jack.

"We called the last one the "resurrection gauntlet"," he explained quickly, "It brings people back from the dead. Maybe for a few minutes or so. It was our colleague's project ages ago. Didn't know there was another glove. We destroyed the last one."

"Are you really going to use that after what happened last time? The gloves are dangerous. At best it'll give us two minutes. At worst, who knows what will happen?" Gwen said, her eyes wide and imploring Jack to stop and think.

"It's not up for discussion," he retorted firmly. Owen exchanged a weary, concerned glance with Tosh as they gathered in the autopsy room.

"I thought the glove didn't work for you," Gwen said, determined to stop Jack somehow. She couldn't see Ianto put through that. She shuddered as she remembered what had happened when she was a police officer looking over the barrier in a car park. She'd seen the terror in the eyes of the man brought back. And then she'd seen it again and again as she worked with Torchwood to find a murderer. She didn't want to see that terror on Ianto.

Owen sighed and shook his head as Jack rattled on about how it was a different glove and it would be different that time. The young doctor worked with Martha and set up the equipment to monitor Ianto's heart rate.  
Jack slipped on the glove and shivered at the feel of the cold metal. This was the partner of the object that Suzie had obsessed over. The room fell silent as he stepped towards Ianto.

Jack carefully placed his gloved hand under Ianto's head and shut his eyes. Owen clutched his clipboard watching the heart rate monitor.

"Ianto, It's me. Jack. You there? Can you here me?" Jack said softly. He winced slightly as he felt the darkness pressing on him. He could feel the movement of the dead skirting around him, never close enough to tough, just close enough to sense it.

"We're not picking up on anything, Jack," Owen said as the monitor still gave a constant beep showing death.

"Please Ianto, listen to me," Jack said, before turning to Owen, "He's coming, he's coming!"

"Argh!" Ianto screamed loudly, his eyes springing open.

"Oh my God!" Martha gasped, looking shocked. She'd never seen anyone brought back from the dead before and it was slightly frightening and disturbing. Well, it's not something you see everyday.

"What…? Where am I? What…? He shot me! Where is he? Help-," Ianto babbled with wide and frightened eyes as he scanned the room for Professor Copley.

"Ianto, listen to me, please!" Jack begged, taking Ianto's hand with his un-gloved one. "We don't have long Ianto."

"What's happened?" Ianto whispered in terror. "Why am I here?"

"We lost you, Yan, but I brought you back," Jack said with a sad smile.

Ianto whimpered slightly, "Resurrection gauntlet? For how long?"

"I don't know," Jack said, diverting the question. He didn't want to lose Ianto. He looked around at the rest of the team, "Anyone got anything to say?"

"I'm sorry, Ianto," Owen mumbled awkwardly, "For you know, well. For being a prat."

"I'm gonna miss you, Ianto," Tosh said, tears shining in her eyes.

"I want you to be brave, Yan," Jack whispered softly caressing Ianto's chin with his free hand. "I… Hell, Ianto, I love you. Be strong."

"There's just nothing," Ianto whispered, tears in his eyes, "Don't let me die, Jack. Please!"

"I…" Jack began before breaking off. He didn't know what to say. "I love you."

"We're losing him," Owen said urgently watching the heart monitor anxiously.

"I love you, Jack…" Ianto breathed before shutting his eyes tightly. Suddenly there was a constant bleep from the heart monitor. Jack threw the glove to the ground and held Ianto's hand tightly. He was gone. Dead. The team were silent with grief. Owen sank down on to the floor and buried his head in his hands. Jack shut his eyes and took a deep breath. Ianto Jones, his lover, friend and faithful employee was dead.

"He's dead," Martha Jones said for the second time that night.

"Doesn't seem that way from where I'm standing," Ianto muttered darkly. He opened his eyes and looked around the room in confusion and fear.

"But… The machines say he's dead!" Martha countered in disbelief as she stared at Ianto.

"Here we go again," Owen muttered rolling his eyes slightly as Ianto stared at the flat line on the heart monitor.


	3. I Can't Be Dead

**Author's Note: Again, many thanks to reviewers. Your reviews really light up my day when it's pretty rubbish what with exams approaching and stuff. **

* * *

Gwen and Tosh had gone to check over the Pilemon Scanner images of when Jack had brought Ianto back to life to see if it was the same circumstances as Suzie. This left Owen, Martha, Jack and Ianto in the autopsy room trying to figure out the facts of Ianto's condition. Owen held the stethoscope to Ianto's bare chest and did a double take. He looked from Ianto to Martha and back again. "No heart beat."

"I can't be dead! I'm still here! I'm still alive!" Ianto insisted, eyes widening. Jack sat on the bed beside him and held his hand in a small comforting gesture.

Owen sighed, "By definition, alive means "being in a state where organs can perform their functions." You're dead, Ianto. You're body's dead." This confused the young doctor. He'd seen all sorts of things in Torchwood but this was new to him – and seemingly new to Jack too.

Martha took the stethoscope from Owen and listened to Ianto's heart just for her own confirmation. "He's right, Ianto. I'm sorry."

"But you saw it on the computer! My brain is still alive! And I'm still thinking and talking and moving! How can I be dead?" Ianto demanded, close to tears.

Just then, Toshiko returned to the room holding a sheet of paper.

"Find anything?" Jack asked immediately.

"Nothing. Once you stopped using the glove, that was it," Tosh explained, "It's completely different to what happened to Suzie. Maybe different gloves do different things?"

"Maybe," Jack agreed nodding once, slowly.

"So what's keeping me alive?" Ianto asked, looking around the room of confused faces hoping for an answer.

"Well, until we find out, you're under quarantine," Jack said sighing. The young Welshman stared at his boss and saw a strange look in his eyes. Would Jack still love him, even like this? Surely he would.

An hour and a few tests later, Owen and Ianto were alone in the autopsy room. Ianto was leaning against the worktop while Owen worked through some notes and scan results. "How you feeling?" Owen asked.

Ianto sighed, "Fine, I suppose."

"Really?"

"Yes, really, Owen. What d'you want me to say, huh?" the Welshman retorted hotly.

"Whoa, calm down," Owen said raising a hand slightly. There was silence for a moment or so. It was only a few hours since he'd been shot but it felt like a long, long time ago – a lifetime ago. Everything had changed so much within those few hours.

"Ianto?"

"Yes, Owen?"

"What was it like to die?" Owen asked, looking slightly curious.

Ianto looked at the other man for a moment. "I can't tell you," he said eventually.

"Why not?" Owen wanted to know.

"Might change how you live," Ianto said slightly awkwardly.

"So I take it there were no pearly gates and men with lists of names?" Owen smiled slightly.

Ianto laughed, "No. There was just… I don't remember there being _anything._"

"Nothing? What about what Suzie said about there being something in the darkness?" Owen asked, clearly interested and slightly anxious. He didn't really know what he wanted to hear. Did he want a life after death? Did he want the nothingness?

"Nothing I remember," Ianto repeated again, shaking his head. The two men sat in an uneasy silence for a moment.

Martha came hurrying down the stairs reading over some notes on a clipboard, "Now Ianto, the energy from the glove is spreading through your body, changing its composition." She pulled a small monitor out of her pocket and fastened it around Ianto's wrist, "If you keep this on, we should be able to monitor changes as they happen."

"I'm changing," Ianto whispered almost to make the statement real to himself. Martha gave him a sympathetic pat on the arm and smiled.

Suddenly, everything went black. There was nothing. Silence. "Martha? Owen!" he called out urgently, unable to see the two doctors. He spun around frantically, feeling something watching him. He cast around wildly for any sign of life but saw nothing. He was well and truly alone. "Owen! Help!" he screamed. He lashed out; trying to knock away whatever was going for him in the darkness. He was terrified. A few hours ago a pounding heart, sweating and hyperventilating, would accompany the mental terror. Not now.

Somebody was holding him. Moving became a struggle. Someone was stopping him hitting out. "Yan, it's me. It's Jack. Can you hear me? Calm down. It's alright."

Ianto found himself in tears clinging on to Jack desperately. "Don't let me die, Jack. Don't let me die."

"What happened, Ianto?" Jack asked firmly turning Ianto head to face him.

"Something was there. In the dark. Waiting for me," Ianto sobbed into Jack's shoulder.

"It's alright now," Jack whispered in his ear and helping Ianto off the ground where he'd fallen. "I won't let it hurt you."


	4. All You Care About Is Yourself

**Author's Note: And the weekend is upon us again! Finally. I'll have time to write, which is always a good thing. Seriously, the amount of homework I have is unbelievable.**

* * *

Everyone gathered in the conference room about twenty minutes later. The team sat around the table discussing what they knew and what they hoped to find out. They were all tired but if they left, anything could happen. They didn't want to rest until they'd sorted out what had happened to Ianto.

"It's like his body is undergoing some sort of transformation. His cells aren't decaying as usual with a dead body, they're just changing," Owen said, pacing up and down the conference room.

"Into what?" Jack asked following Owen's movement with his eyes.

"An energy we can't identify," Martha admitted, "But it's growing, whatever it is."

"Roughly forty percent of him is something new," Owen added, "We just don't know what it is."

Ianto looked down at his hands on his knees. He didn't look of feel much different, maybe paler than usual but he was… he was dead.

"So, we need to find out where the energy keeping him alive is coming from," Jack said firmly, looking around at the team.

"My guess is that it's from the same place the glove gets its energy." Gwen said sipping from a glass of water. Ianto watched miserably. His digestive system had shut down, Owen had told him. He could never drink or eat again.

"Another dimension? Parallel universe?" Jack asked.

"Hey, what did you say, Ianto?" Owen wanted to know, leaning forward on the table and looking at the other man, "Something in the darkness? Maybe that's where the energy is coming from?"

"Could be," Jack said with a nod. "D'you know where it went, Ianto? Whatever was waiting in the dark."

"Don't know," Ianto sighed, shaking his head and slumping down in his chair.

"Well, lets check every detail of the Rift to start with, maybe we'll find something there," Jack said getting to his feet.

"I'm on it," Tosh said hurrying from the room over to her workstation and computer.

"Owen, Martha, just carry on with what you were doing," the Captain commanded while the doctors nodded.

Suddenly, Ianto got to his feet, furious. "I'm not a test subject, Jack!"

"Yes, I know that but-."

"I don't _want _all these tests and research. I just want to be free. I wish you hadn't brought me back. I wish you'd left me dead! If you had, none of this would have happened!" Ianto yelled, his fists clenched by his side, "Why did you do it, Jack? Why?"

"Because I wasn't ready to let you go," Jack said softly with evident pain in his eyes. It seemed he could do nothing right. All he'd done was hurt Ianto, and that hadn't been his intention.

"Yeah, well, that's not what you were saying when you shot Lisa!" Ianto snapped, "You didn't care if I was ready to let her go! You wouldn't help her! All you care about is yourself!"

He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. Jack, Gwen, Owen and Martha watched him go in surprise. None of them had been expecting him to explode like that, but then again, Gwen thought, none of them had really considered his feelings in this whole investigation. "I'll go after him," Gwen said.  
"No, no, I will," Jack said hurrying out of the boardroom, "This is my mess."

Suddenly, Ianto found himself floundering in the darkness. It was different this time; the atmosphere was even tenser than last time and there was someone close to him, whispering in languages he didn't understand. He spun around in fear and tried to find the speaker but all he can see is the pressing blackness.

Just as unexpectedly as it had come, the darkness was gone. He was standing alone in tourist office front of the Hub. He caught sight of himself in the computer screen. His eyes were large, and completely black. He vaguely heard himself recite something in a foreign language and then he blinked. He looked in the computer screen again and his eyes were back to normal. He bit his lip. It must have been a trick of the light. It had to be. There was not other explanation. All he knew then was that he had to get away; he turned and fled from the Hub.

He ran down the road, realising he didn't need to breathe. If he wanted to, he could run and run and run and there wouldn't be any physical effects. For a while, that's exactly what he did. He just sprinted along the pavement and tried to forget what had happened to him. He tried to ignore the fact he was dead, but how could he? He'd always imagined death to be a release. He'd thought he'd be with Lisa again. Trust Torchwood to cock even his _death _up.

Jack pulled his greatcoat tighter around himself and looked around with a worried feeling nagging inside him. He had Toshiko on the comm. and she was reading him the co-ordinates of Ianto's wrist monitor. It had been a good move to have a tracker installed into it. Jack sighed and thought longingly of the man he loved dearly but had hurt so much. Would he be injured? With his cells unable to repair themselves, any injury could be permanent. He needed to find him soon, Jack thought as he jumped into the SUV and sparked the engine into life.


	5. Not Much Could Help Right Now

**Author's Note: And too soon the weekend is gone. School tomorrow again. Thanks to all reviewers!**

* * *

The sun was high in the sky. It was about one o' clock and the streets were bursting with people on their lunch breaks. Secondary school children were laughing and pushing each other around.

Ianto kept running until he was brought crashing to the ground by a protruding tree root in the busy park he was sprinting through. He landed heavily on the dewy grass and for a moment he didn't move. He didn't feel any pain, which confused him for a moment. Naturally, when he fell he expected pain to follow, but nothing happened.

He curled up slightly on the grass and wished he were somewhere else, some other time. He wished he'd never found Torchwood. If he hadn't got involved in Torchwood One at Canary Warf, he wouldn't be here now.

Next thing he knew, someone was pulling him into a sitting position and holding him close. He heard a voice in his ear, "I'm sorry Ianto, I'm so sorry."

"Why, Jack? Why?" Ianto mumbled miserably as he let Jack hold him.

"I…" Jack tailed off before taking a deep breath. There were tears in his eyes. He wasn't sure how to say what he wanted to say, "I didn't want to lose you."

"I know, but everyone else has to let people go… I did," Ianto said, staring bleakly at the Captain.

"Yeah, but… But I lose people over and over and over again. I couldn't lose you too. I lose _everyone, _Ianto. And I can't lose you too," Jack said hesitantly but with such emotion that anyone could tell he meant it. A stray tear trickled down the Captain's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Ianto whispered, equally as sincere. He wrapped his arms around Jack and buried his head in the older man's neck.

"It's not you that needs to apologise," Jack countered shaking his head, "I do. It's my fault you died. I send you lot in to danger time and time again always knowing you could all die and I would live on. I have no choice but to live on."

"Seems wrong," Ianto said with a sad smile, "You live forever and I'm dead forever."

"Yeah, well," Jack forced himself to whisper, "I love you dead or alive." The Captain couldn't help but feel scared though. Ianto was the living dead; he himself was the eternally alive. Was Ianto only "living" now because the immortal had brought him back? Was this Death's way of punishing him for cheating it? He knew it was ridiculous but he couldn't help but think about it. What would happen to Ianto? Martha had said something about him "not being Ianto anymore". She'd said he'd changed. True, but was he really that different to the old Ianto?

Suddenly, there was a soft growling from the bushes around them in the park. Jack tensed and got to his feet, pulling out his gun and helping Ianto up in one movement. The pair cast around, on their guard.

A small group of tall figures stood forward, crouched slightly as though stalking prey. Their faces were wrinkled and animal-like with bared fangs. "Weevils," Ianto groaned. Could there _be _a worse time to be surrounded by savage aliens. He looked behind them and sure enough there were another couple of the creatures stalking them.

"Run!" Jack urged, tugging Ianto by the arm to try and get out of the little park. A small group of school kids had stopped and were staring curiously at the scene. They clearly thought this was some sort of stunt. "C'mon, Ianto!" Jack insisted.

"No, wait!" Ianto said, shaking himself free of Jack's grip, "They're not going to do anything."

"Ianto? They're Weevils! You know that, come on, lets get out of here!" Jack said firmly casting wary looks between Ianto and the circling Weevils.

The next words that came from Ianto's mouth weren't English, nor anything Jack understood. He listening in disbelief as his loved spoke an unknown language and the Weevils came to a halt. Breathing slightly faster, the Captain stared in horror at Ianto's black orb-like eyes. He glanced at the Weevils and did a double take. They were bowing low to him with some sort of obedience. A couple of the school kids started cheering and clapping.

Jack carefully dragged Ianto away towards the parking area where he'd left the SUV. When the Weevil's didn't follow, he let out a small sigh of relief as they crept away.

"So you're like some sort of Weevil god?" Owen sniggered later on in the Hub. Toshiko was trying to translate what Ianto had said to the Weevils after Jack had recounted the whole story.

"Guess so," Ianto mumbled before wandering off. He didn't want all Owen's attention but there was very little he could do about the young doctor's excitement. He followed him everywhere asking how he'd managed to control the Weevils and stating it wasn't fair that the dead had all the power.

"That's the thing," Owen said frowning slightly as he leaned against the stair barrier while Ianto made coffee, "When you're dead, everyone cries over you. People seem to notice you more when you're dead. Sometimes you even get your name in the paper. And _then _everyone goes and cries over losing you. They wouldn't think that much about you if you'd just gone to live on the other side of the world. Well, I guess you could phone but still. And anyway, it's-."

"Shut up, Owen," Ianto said with a bored, tired tone in his voice.

"Sorry," Owen said, "Guess I'm not helping."

"To be honest, not much could help right now, Owen."


	6. Let's Just Let The Dust Settle

**Author's Note: Thank you all so much!**

* * *

Ianto stayed in the Hub that night, partly because Jack insisted and because he didn't really want to be on his own. He slept beside Jack in the Captain's bed. Jack held his arm around Ianto's waist while the younger man curled up against his chest. They just lay quietly together for a long while, listening to the sound of only one heart beating and one set of lungs breathing, before Ianto spoke. "Does it get any easier?" he whispered into the dim lamp light, grateful to have someone to ask. "Being here forever, I mean."

Jack was silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on the ceiling before he answered, "Yeah, I guess it does. Sometimes it's hard, watching things grow old and die and knowing I'll be here forever."

"But you'll have me now," Ianto said, taking Jack's hand gently and trying to smile, "Isn't this what we wanted? To be together for all eternity." He laughed slightly.

Jack didn't laugh. He just lay quietly and tired to gather his thoughts. "It's going to be different," he said eventually.

"But we'll manage," Ianto said firmly before sticking an uncertain "Right?" on to the end of his sentence.

"Yeah," Jack said with slightly less of his usual confidence and conviction. "We will."

Ianto shuffled around slightly so he could see Jack's face properly in the lamplight. He leant forward slowly and pressed a gentle kiss onto the Captain's lips and smiled. "I love you," he whispered.

To the young man's surprise, Jack pulled away. "Let's just let the dust settle," he said gently, willing Ianto to understand with a desperate look in his eyes.

"Jack?"

"Ianto, I'm sorry. It's just-," Jack began uselessly.

"No, it doesn't matter. I should have guessed this would happen," Ianto said with an evident tone of hurt in his voice. He didn't confront Jack about the fact that he'd said he loved him. Had that been a lie then. "If you've got a problem with me being dead-."

"No, no, Ianto I don't. It's just…"

"Just what, Jack?" Ianto urged.

"I'm sorry, Ianto. Can we just wait a bit till we figure out what's happened?" Jack asked, for once looking helpless and floundering for an explanation.

"If that's what you want," Ianto said, rolling away from Jack to lie on his side and face the wall. Jack

"I'm gonna make this right," Jack said quietly, "I promise." He looked at the back of Ianto's head and bit his lip. He hated being the one to cause upset. He'd hurt Ianto too many times. He shouldn't be doing this to Ianto right now after all he'd been through. It just wasn't fair. Yet, he wasn't sure he could carry on in a relationship like that. Could he carry on in a relationship with a person he'd trapped in death forever? Was he just being selfish? The whole situation would be different to how it was before and he really wanted something secure in a world where everything where changed for him every five minutes. He sighed and put his hands over his face. Why couldn't _anything _be simple? Ianto didn't say anything else. Eventually the Captain scrambled to his feet and pulled himself through the hole in the ceiling leading to his office. Ianto didn't stop him.

When Jack's digital alarm clock started flashing up seven in the morning, Ianto decided he should get up. Of course, he hadn't slept a wink but he hadn't moved all night but he felt rested. When he dragged himself into Jack's office and wandered around the room for a moment. There was no sign of the Captain. The young Welshman walked into the main Hub area and sighed. The room was empty.

He looked around and then sat down in Toshiko's chair and flicked on the computer. He didn't really know what he was doing but he wanted to do something. He found Tosh was still logged in at her desk and there was a programme alert flashing up on the screen. It was Toshiko's translating facility and she'd left if running the night before to try and find out what Ianto had been saying to the Weevils. It looked like they'd found an answer.  
He double-clicked on the icon and the programme loaded up quickly. "Translation Complete" flashed up on the screen and beneath it was a sentence. Ianto scanned it quickly and frowned. "I shall walk the Earth and my hunger will know no bounds," he whispered to himself. He'd never heard that phrase before. He typed the words into a search engine and began to plough through the results. He read and read and read and bit his lip. He didn't hear the cog door opening nearly an hour later.

"What you got there?" came Gwen's voice from behind him.

Ianto spun around, alarmed. "Oh. Hi, Gwen," he said turning back to the computer. "Just looking up that translation Tosh found."

"What did it mean?"

Ianto told her and then opened up a page he'd read earlier. "Something like this has happened before apparently. This is a legend from the Black Death. Apparently the person who said that was none other than Death himself. But that can't be relevant to this case. I mean, I'm dead! I'm not death! I think I'd know if I was, right?"

"Yeah," Gwen said, less than convinced.

They both looked around as the door opened again and Owen walked in looking dishevelled and half-asleep. "My coffee jar was empty and my hot water ran out this morning. Urgh! How is that fair?" he grumbled as he stormed into the main area.

"At least you can drink coffee," Ianto said sadly, looking wearily at Owen.

"Yeah… Sorry Ianto."

"Hmm."

"Where's Harkness?"

"Dunno," Ianto admitted miserably. The memories of the night came flooding back to him and he felt even more despairing than he already did.

"I knew the bastard would run off again!" Owen snarled furiously throwing himself down at his desk. "I knew it! Things got too hard for him here, or maybe he just got fed up of us and now the idiot's gone! He's left us! You know he has, don't you? And what if he doesn't come back this time? What if he's gone for good?" The young doctor was livid.

"He'll come back!" Ianto retorted heatedly. Jack wouldn't leave them now, would he? Surely not.

"He won't be long," Gwen said, not wanting to face the fact that maybe Owen was right. What if Jack _didn't _come back?


	7. Torchwood Changes You Like That

**Author's Note: Deep apologies for the short chapter, I've got a lot of work to do because term ends tomorrow and the school think homework is a good idea, as always. Sorry for any delay between this chapter and the next too. **

* * *

The team decided they had to carry on with the case anyway. They couldn't wait around all day for Jack. They didn't know how long Ianto had left and they had to do something. Martha and Tosh appeared in the Hub not long after and then they set about researching the legend of Death walking the Earth.

"So, these people in the parish of Saint James heard about plague and built a wall around themselves," Gwen said, reading from a print out to the rest of the group as they sat at their computers looking up information. "But a little girl died anyway. The priest performed a miracle and brought her back but she brought Death back with her, and he walked the Earth amongst them."

"You know, before I met Torchwood I wouldn't have believed that," Owen said shaking his head slowly and slightly remorsefully.

"None of us would," Gwen said, "Torchwood changes you like that."

"So, we're gonna act on something we found on Google?" Owen scoffed, "What have we got to work with? What did Death do when he came back?"

"Killed twelve people," Ianto told them, "Three more and he would have had a hold on Earth forever."

"Why stop at twelve then? Why wait?" Martha asked, puzzled.

"Faith stopped them," Ianto said, looking at the screen with a small frown.

"So, maybe Ianto's a host for Death?" Martha said, looking at Ianto curiously. Ianto shuddered. He hated to think someone else was sharing his mind, body and thoughts.

"Maybe that's what's in the darkness?" Owen said, trying to make the situation logical.

"So… you're going to have to fight me?" Ianto whispered, "I'm a monster…"

"We could try and stop it?" Owen frowned slowly. The rest of the team stared at him for a moment in confusion. "What do we usually do with dead people? Embalm them. If we embalm Ianto, Death can't take over any more."

"That would kill him!" Gwen said, her eyes widening in panic.

"I'm already dead."

"It'd freeze his veins and his brain," Owen admitted carefully, "But it's not my choice to make. Whatever Ianto says goes, I guess."

"I'm not Ianto anymore," Ianto mumbled, "I'm a monster… I'm not human."

"Stop it, Ianto," Gwen said hugging him fiercely, "You're still as much Ianto as you were before all this crap." Her wide eyes were brimming with tears and she tried to smile in comfort to the young man who was clearly in so much pain.

"I think we should destroy the glove," Toshiko said. It was too dangerous to leave an object that caused nothing but problems to exist. "Maybe that's what's letting Death through?"

"But what if that destroys Ianto too?" Gwen asked anxiously.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the group as they contemplated the question. Ianto was first to speak, "I'm changing Gwen, soon there'll be nothing left of me. How much of me has transformed now?" he asked Owen.

"Eighty percent," Owen said glancing at a screen to his left on the computer.

"See, if you destroy me at the same time, you'll be stopping Death coming through," Ianto said.

The rest of the group contemplated this for a moment before Gwen said, "Jack would know what to do."

"Yeah, well, Jack's not here," Owen snapped heatedly. He felt abandoned and let down. "We can't just sit around here waiting for that bastard to drag himself back in here. We've got to do something. We're old enough to make our own choices," the young doctor snarled.

"Well, let's go for it," Ianto said. "Shoot the glove and stop Death."


	8. I'm A Monster

**Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update! I've actually been in London since Friday evening, so I haven't been able to write or update. Here's the chapter and I hope you like it. And Josie, here's your answer. **

* * *

Gwen sat holding Ianto's hand tightly on the sofa in the Hub. Martha and Tosh stood anxiously beside the wall while Owen set the heavy metal box down on his desk. He looked around at the rest of the group for a moment before lifting the lid from the box and hesitantly pulling out the sinister glove.

"You sure you want to go through with this Ianto?" Martha asked, looking at the young Welshman in concern. Ianto nodded mutely. Owen laid the glove on the floor for and pulled out his gun.

The glove lay still for a moment before it stated tapping its fingers slowly. "God, Owen shoot it!" Gwen shouted jumping to her feet and pulling Ianto up too.

Owen hesitated for barely a second before pulling the trigger. The gunshot echoed around the room and the glove shattered to pieces. The shards sprayed across the room and everyone hid for cover.

Suddenly, Ianto fell to his knees on the ground and he began chanting in another language. He held his arms to away from his body and screamed loud and long. A black cloud swarmed from his mouth and pulsated in the air. Owen shot at it again but it was too fast. It was gone almost as quickly as it had come.

Ianto was left lying on the ground shaking. He was scared and upset. Gwen held his hand tightly and pulled him into a hug.

"What happened?" he whispered fearfully, "Why am I still here?"

"I…"

"Is it too much to ask just to die?" Ianto mumbled. He was sinking in a dark pit of despair and helplessness and he couldn't see a way to make the situation right again.

"Ianto…" Gwen sighed holding the young man close and knowing no words of comfort that could make him feel better. It wasn't a situation they came across every day so she didn't know what to say.

* * *

Jack saw the black form approaching and he gasped. He was standing at the end of the street leading to Ianto's tourist office. He wanted to go back to the Hub but he was also to frightened and embarrased. Then when he saw the shape appoaching, he pulled out his gun and fired a few shots in its direction but it had no effect whatsoever. Next thing he knew he was surrounded by the blackness and he hit his head on the pavement. He struggled to his feet again and fought to stay conscious.

"What do you want?" he demanded furiously. He got no answer but he felt himself drifting and his consciousness faltering. It was then he realised the thing attacking him wanted his life. "You can't have me. I can't die," Jack growled. He was fighting Death. He'd known this day would come and he'd just have to be brave. He held his breath and waved his arms around, trying to force away the grim that was forming in front of him. It was spectre-like and menacing.

Jack suddenly thought of Ianto. What would the young man say if Jack _did _die? Ianto would be alone and he couldn't let that happen. He shook his head violently, "NO!"

Then there was stillness.

* * *

Owen, Gwen, Tosh, Martha and Ianto were sitting in the boardroom trying to decide what to do. Ianto buried his head in his hands and sighed loudly. He wanted to run and hide. He just wanted not to exist in this little hell. "What good am I here?"

"We'll sort this out, Ianto," Martha promised.

"Jack doesn't even want me anymore," Ianto whispered miserably, "I'm a monster."

"No!" came another voice. Ianto didn't turn around for a moment. He sat still and smiled slightly. Jack. He'd come back.

"Jack," Ianto whispered softly as he got to his feet and hurried to the door where Jack was standing with his hands in his coat pockets, hair all over the place.

"I'm sorry, Ianto," Jack said, "You're not a monster, Ianto. Never. Because I believe in you, and sometimes all it takes is a little bit of faith…" As the Welshman closed the gap between then Jack held out his arms and held Ianto close. Then he took his head and pressed a gentle kiss to the younger man's lips – a kiss that told so much, an apology, a pledge of love, an assurance of friendship and more importantly, a promise of support.


	9. So I'm Dangerous?

**Author's Note: In case I don't update before Sunday, have a great Easter. And I'm very excited for tomorrow, _Robin Hood BBC _and _Doctor Who _are airing back to back tomorrow on the Beeb! Can't wait!**

* * *

"So you beat Death?" Ianto asked when the Captain recounted the story of his scrap with the black shape outside.

"Escaped, I guess," Jack said holding Ianto's hand tightly under the table in the boardroom.

"D'you think it went for you because, you know, you can't die?" Martha asked, leaning forward on the table and looking curiously at Jack.

"Yeah, I guess so," Jack agreed, "I can't think of any other explanation. I mean, who else would it want but the man who slips from its grip every single time." They all heard the slightly bitter tone hidden in the Captain's voice. They all knew how much it hurt Jack to never be able to die, even though he never said anything about it. He was very brave about it all but it was no secret that he hated being alive while his friends died.

"Well, what happens now?" Tosh asked, "Is Ianto safe?"

"I think so," Owen said, "What ever it was inside him, changing him, left when we shot the glove."

"And went after Jack instead," Martha added.

"So Ianto's still Ianto?" Jack asked with an oddly fearful look in his eyes.

"Yep," Owen nodded, slouching in his chair.

"Great!" Jack grinned at the young Welshman beside him.

"Well, I best be off," Martha said, "My bosses will be expecting me back. I've been away longer than they'd wanted already."

"It's been nice," Jack said, standing up and letting go of Ianto's hand and moving to help Martha to her feet. "Thanks for everything."

"No problem," Martha smiled at the group as they all headed towards the exit of the Hub. "Anything else I can do, just give me a ring."

"Yeah, I think I'll manage thanks," Owen said slightly louder than necessary.

"Don't worry Owen, I'm not about to steal your job," Martha laughed at the young doctor, "I'm happy enough at U.N.I.T."

"There's always a place in Torchwood for you though," Gwen said kindly.

"Not in my job there isn't!" Owen muttered.

Gwen elbowed him roughly in the ribs, "Come on, you enjoyed having someone else to understand what goes on in your lab!"

"Yeah, well," Owen grumbled, "Thanks Martha." He walked forwards and kissed her cheek and winked, "Nice having you around. I guess."

Gwen rolled her eyes at Martha as they walked out of the tourist office, "Men, huh?"

"Tell me about it!" she laughed.

Ten minutes later the team were all back inside the Hub. It suddenly seemed very still and calm. "Back to normal?" Jack asked, putting an arm around Ianto.

"Just about," he replied smiling at the Captain before pressing a kiss to the other man's lips, and this time, Jack responded eagerly.

Owen winced and shook his head, "I'm going home! See ya!"

"Yeah, we'll leave you guys to it," Gwen agreed, laughing slightly.

In reality, things were far, _far _from normal for Ianto Jones. He couldn't eat, sleep, or drink… Life was very different and it was hard to get used to. When he first returned to his flat, he emptied the contents of his fridge out and brought it to the Hub to stock up supplies for the rest of the team.

He stood staring at himself in the mirror trying to pretend he was still alive and sometimes even believing it. Only to notice the stillness in his chest and the unfeeling fingers that he touched everything with. Nobody seemed to understand; life carried on as normal for them but it was far too different for him.

Then came the day, three days later, when Jack told him he was fired, or temporarily suspended – relieved of his duties or something. Whatever Jack said, it was still fired.

"Owen's got some tests he needs to run," Jack said apologetically, "Until we know you're perfectly safe, we have to take you out of action."

"What?" Ianto asked, eyes widening, "Jack you can't! I thought you said I was alright!"

"Owen just needs to-."

"I don't give a damn about what Owen needs to do!" Ianto snapped, "Jack, I trusted you!"

"Yan, I'm sorry," Jack said, clearly hurting, "If I could do this any other way then-."

"Then what? What am I meant to do in the meantime?" Ianto demanded.

"Dunno, coffee?"

"So you're not really firing me then? You're just not going to pay me?" Ianto snapped, laughing bitterly.

"All I'm saying is I can't take you out on jobs until we know you're not going to be a risk to yourself or the others."

"So I'm dangerous?" Ianto sighed, "God, Jack this is shit."

"I know, and I'm sorry. You know I am, Yan, and I'll make it up to you. Promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"But I will keep it," Jack said taking Ianto in his arms and holding him tightly, "I love you, Ianto."


	10. I Can't

**Author's Note: Sorry it takes so long to update, I really have to be revising now. My first exam is three weeks tomorrow. Anyway, I hope you all had a great Easter and that you enjoy this chapter! **

* * *

Ianto silently ran on the treadmill as Owen had asked. He wasn't really thinking about what he was doing, he just ran. He didn't feel tired or stiff. There was nothing to stop him running forever. The machine beeped loudly and the Welshman turned it off. He stepped off and looked at Owen, waiting to see what he was going to ask next.

"Any stiffening? Aching?" the young doctor wanted to know as he noted down the readings off the treadmill.

"Nothing," Ianto said. He didn't really have much to say.

Owen put his clipboard down and leaned against the worktop for a moment, surveying his "patient" for a moment. "You alright, Ianto?"

"Yeah," Ianto retorted sarcastically, "Everything's fine."

"Hey, leave the sarcasm to me," Owen said with a half laugh. "You know you can talk to me if you want to." Owen smiled and patted Ianto on the arm just as Gwen's voice came over the speaker system asking Owen to go to the boardroom.

"Thanks Owen," Ianto said quietly as the doctor hopped up the stairs. He followed after a while to go and make coffee.

When Ianto walked into the boardroom with a tray of coffee (a substance he'd never be able to taste again), Jack was telling the others about a man whom was hoarding alien artefacts or something. There was apparently an energy spike emitting from his house that day. He set the mugs down on the table and listened silently to what the team were saying.

"Mr Parker might be a threat and we have to do something about it," Gwen said, "He's kept himself inside his house since 1986, when his wife died. There's nobody to ask about him behaving oddly."

"Yeah, because he's always been odd," Owen said, sniggering into his mug.

Jack smiled slightly, "That's not the point, Owen. He's got something in house and we need info! Schematics, shopping history, medical history, everything. Got that? Back here in an hour."

Ianto stood by the door and just listened. Nobody noticed he was still standing there and it hurt slightly. They all walked out of the room, listening to Gwen prattling on about a friend who'd been arrested somewhere for selling dodgy CDs or something. He wasn't really taking in what she said. He was just watching the team laugh and carry on with their lives as normal.

"Jack?" Ianto probed suddenly. The Captain jumped slightly, surprised to see Ianto in the room. "What can I do?"

Jack looked blankly at him for a moment and winced, "I'm sorry Yan, you know I can't."

"Please, Jack."

"I can't," Jack said apologetically. "How about you go home?"

"And do what?"

"Relax?"

"Yeah, because that's something I can do when I'm dead!" Ianto retorted, looking miserable.

"I'll come round later," Jack said, kissing Ianto's cheek and hurrying off to do his work.


	11. More Than Just The Tea Boy

**Author's Note: I really truely am sorry for the time it takes me to update, and for the shortness of chapters. School started back again yesterday and to be honest, it isn't easy. I have a Prelim tomorrow for Biology, and also Maths homework due. So, this is the best I could do tonight, so once again, thank you all for your patience and for your awesome reviews! You have no idea how much that means to me!**

* * *

Ianto dragged his feet around his house. He was bored. He'd emptied all his cosmetics and food from the house so had nothing else to do. He flicked through a magazine but it was far too full of smiling people giving advice on how to live life. Yeah, well he wouldn't be needing that any more because, funnily enough, he was dead. And the dead don't need tips on how to live, do they? He was bitter and agitated and all he wanted to do was scream and shout and kick things.

He could go to the gym, he supposed, but where was the use in a work out if it didn't make him any fitter, or tire him out enough so that he wouldn't feel the pain. He lay down on the bed he no longer needed and covered his eyes with his pillow. Why did life suddenly have to be so difficult? He hated his existence now. What was he meant to do with himself now? He sighed loudly and sat up in his bed. He opened the top drawer of his bedside table and looked for his diary, wanting to read it and lose himself in times when things were much happier. It was then that he noticed the photo album he hadn't looked at properly in years.

Slowly, he pulled it out and looked at it. It was a soft cream colour with battered edges. It had been an album his grandmother had been keeping for years and years. She'd thought it would be a nice idea to keep track of her daughter's family when they were born. He looked at at the first photo and smiled. It was his mother and father's wedding. They looked amazing. He cast his eye down to the next photo in a hospital ward; Mrs Jones with a small baby in her arms - Ianto. He smiled slightly. Everything was always so much simpler for children. There was nothing to say the world would hurt you when you grew up. As a child you're invincible and nothing can stop you. What he wouldn't give to go back to blissful ignorance and freedom right now. The thing was, invincibility was something completely different now. Invincibility was what Jack was. He, Ianto, was just vulnerable.

Suddenly, his door bell went and he jumped. He scrambled to his feet and hurried through to his hallway and flung open the door. He was greeted by the grinning face of none other than Captian Jack Harkness. What the hell did he have to smile about? Ianto tried not to grin back at the man he loved dearly, but that grin was always infectious.

"Hey, Ianto," Jack said inviting himself into the house. "How are you?"

"You really want me to answer that?" Ianto asked incredulously.

Jack shrugged, "Not if you don't want to tell me," he said casually. He flopped down on Ianto's sofa and gestured for the other man to join him.

"I think you know anyway," Ianto said, smiling sadly as he sad down beside Jack, resting his head on the older man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ianto. I really am," Jack said softly.

Ianto looked up at the Captain and smiled, "I know. Me too."

"We're gonna work this out, me and you," Jack promised.

"Thanks Jack," Ianto said.

"And even better, I think we've got a job for you to do at Torchwood!" Jack smiled.

Ianto looked at him curiously, "You're employing me again?"

"I guess so," Jack said happily, "All Owen's tests came up with no reason why you shouldn't still work with us," Jack told him. The Captain was clearly happy to invite Ianto back onto the team. He felt slightly better about how he was treating his lover when he could offer him his job back. Ianto needed security and to know he was still wanted. He needed to know he still had friends and Jack had to make sure he could offer him that. Owen, Tosh and Gwen still wanted to know him - after all, they'd all seen Weird. They knew what it was like. Torchwood threw up all sorts of crap but it got harder when they felt alone, they all knew that.

"So, what's this job, then?" Ianto wanted to know, wrapping an arm around Jack's waist.

"We need to get inside Mr Parker's house. Thing is, the place is secure and supposedly impenatrable. They've got heat sensors at the doors, which of course means that none of us can get in," Jack explained.

"But I can," Ianto said, catching on to Jack's idea. "You want me to go in, don't you?"

"If you're okay with that?" Jack nodded.

"Of course I am!" Ianto agreed quickly.

Jack's face lit up like a school boy who's been told his dad will take him to see the football, "Great! Ianto Jones, always more than just a tea boy."

"Definitly more than just a tea boy," Ianto smirked, grinning up at his lover and smiling his first proper smile in what felt like forever. He had his job back. Things might not be so bad after all.


	12. Try Telling Death That

**Author's Note: This was a really hard chapter for me to write. I never liked this bit in the episode. If I remember correctly I sat and cried. Hope you enjoy this. Thanks again for all your support!**

* * *

"Remember, Ianto. You've got to be careful," Jack implored, holding the Welshman back Owen walked forward towards a large manor house. The building was imposing and slightly intimidating. It was fitting that it should be as heavily guarded as it was.

"I know, Jack," Ianto insisted smiling slightly, "I'll watch my step." He was wearing a thick black hooded top and dark jeans. He would blend into the darkness of night easily enough: as dark, silent and unnoticed as Death himself.

"You better," Jack grinned and winked at his employee before setting off after the others. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Ianto smiled as he hurried away up the driveway of the house, seeking cover behind the bushes. He was cautious. He could see two guards standing to attention by the door. The plan was for Gwen to phone one of them with bad news and distract them. He couldn't risk trying to sneak past unnoticed. It wasn't going to be easy but then again, when was anything ever easy at Torchwood?

It was only a few moments before Gwen's phone call caused enough of a diversion for Ianto to run and head towards the electricity box. He pulled a thick cloth out of his pocket and wound it tightly around his hand. He looked at if for a moment before sighing and thrusting his hand inside the mechanics. He didn't feel anything at all. He knew he should be being electrocuted but he wasn't. He was fine. He watched the lights flash in the house as the electricity box sparked and hissed. He pulled the main cable out and laughed slightly.

"You have one minute before the back-up generator comes on!" Tosh told him over the comm.

"Okay, thanks Tosh," he said as he made towards the now unguarded main door. One of the men was hurrying away towards the car park and the other was talking on a phone to somebody else - perhaps trying to get someone else to come and guard the door. Ianto slipped past him and pushed the door open, surprised that it was unlocked. The first thing he noticed inside was the green lights on the floor. He hesitated for a moment and then took a step forwards. Heat sensors. Nothing happened when he walked past. It felt odd to realise that nothing could detect his life anymore.

"You okay, Ianto?" Jack checked over the comm.

"Yeah," Ianto said flicking on his flashlight, "I'm in." He looked around the exquisite decoration in the hallway and caught his breath. He had to find Mr Parker quickly before the generator came on. Bracing himself for unknown horrors, he made his way up the stairs keeping and eye out for guards.

"You're looking for something on the first floor," Tosh said, "I can't get any more than that, sorry Ianto!"

"No problem. I'll find it," he promised. He had to do this and prove himself to the team. They'd realise he was capable of working with them despite being dead.

Suddenly, someone stood in front of him. Ianto raised an eyebrows, "Excuse me?" he said, "I'd like passed."

"Who are you?"

"Ianto Jones," the Welshman replied confidently with a smile.

The guard raised his eyebrows, "Who?"

"A dead man."

"How can you be dead?" the guard scoffed as he pulled out his gun and loaded it. He was a fairly tall man with untidy hair.

"Would you really shoot me?" Ianto asked, "You can't kill a dead man."

"You're not dead," the guard retorted aiming his gun in Ianto's direction.

"How do you think I got passed your heat sensors?" Ianto questioned smiling to himself. Using the guard's confusion to his advantage, the young man grabbed the barrel of the gun and tugged it out of the man's grip. He spun it round and used it to smack the man around the head with it, knocking him out. "Thank you for your help," he muttered sarcastically under his breath as he stepped over the guard. He looked around the corridor. There were rooms on either side. He loaded his own weapon and opened then one at a time peering inside.

Everything was tidy and well organised. There wasn't a "lived in" feel about the place. It just felt empty and lifeless. The third door he opened was the one he wanted. He saw a large bed in the middle of the floor with mosquito nets covering it. There were large machines beeping steadily beside the bed - hospital machines. Mr Parker was ill.

"What do you want?" a tired, dry voice said from the bed.

Ianto started; he hadn't been expecting the man to speak to him. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Hurt my men though," Mr Parker replied icily.

"I'm from Torchwood," Ianto said, lacking a better explanation.

"I know. Why are you here?" Mr Parker asked.

Ianto walked slowly to his bedside and knelt down beside him, "We need to collect something. We've been noticing huge energy spikes from this location. People are at risk."

"You're not getting it!" Mr Parker snapped. The force of his words startled Ianto.

"Getting what?"

"The Pulse!" the old man said softly, "It's keeping me alive." He slowly folded his duvet cover back and reveled a glowing red sort of stone. It was, just as Mr Parker had said, pulsating with light and a dull noise. There was something odd about it. The you Welshman pulled out his scanner from his pocket and ran over the device so Tosh would get the readings in the Hub. Mr Parker watched him warily, "If you take I'll be gone. I don't want to die! There's nothing on the other side! I'll be alone in the dark."

"Believe me, I know what it's like," Ianto told him taking his hand gently. "Trust me."

"As if you know. How old are you? You haven't lived yet," Mr Parker said bitterly, not believing what Ianto had said.

"Try telling Death that," Ianto said bitterly.

"You've really seen the darkness?"

"Yes."

"Take it," Mr Parker said indicating the Pulse, "Take it. It helps. It keeps me alive and it's almost company. Then tell me it isn't keeping me here."

Ianto reached forward and hesitantly picked up the Pulse. He couldn't feel much of anything. He put it down beside the bed and looked back at Mr Parker, "Thank you."

"Don't go yet," Mr Parker said, "I know you have what you're looking for, but don't go yet."

Ianto did as Mr Parker asked, unsure what they were waiting for. He didn't want to leave the man, because he was sick and clearly needed help but at the same time, he just wanted out. It was only a few moments before he realised what it was. The heart monitor flat lined and Mr Parker closed his eyes.


	13. I'm Pregnant

**Author's Note: Sprry it's a bit of a shorter chapter. I need to go and do some revision for my exams. I ended _A Day In The Death _differently because I thought the whole woman on the roof thing was very much Owen, not Ianto. **

* * *

"A young woman, Maggie Hopley, was reported dead at approximately one o' clock this morning after jumping from a high rise building," the television news presenter said from the screen. Ianto watched it blankly without taking it in. Hundreds of people committed suicide every single day across the world and he'd never be one of them even if he wanted to be. He was already dead, and the dead couldn't commit suicide, could they? He listened as the news reporter continued his presentation, "Also last night Henry Parker was pronounced dead in his home. He had been suffering with illness and thoughts are with his family at this time."

He sighed and looked at Captain Jack Harkness lying asleep on his sofa. It was one of the few times Jack actually looked innocent, almost child-like. Ianto found a blanket in the airing cupboard in the hallway and wrapped it around his lover. Jack wasn't a very sound sleeper and Ianto had no doubt he'd wake up afraid of some unknown terror but at least he could sleep. There was no lack of consciousness to distract Ianto from the sounds, sights and smells of life.

Sitting down at his kitchen table, he thought back to all that had happened that night. Jack and Owen had hurried up to Mr Parker's room and found him. Owen had instantly told them the old man was dead. Ianto wished he could have saved the man or at least offered him some comfort. He had no breath to give the man and nothing to help him. There was nothing he could do and helplessness was not a feeling he liked. As for the Pulse, Ianto found it hadn't been dangerous after all. As he held in his hands overcome with distress at his situation, he heard it singing to him. It was a beautiful, melodic tune - not highly decorated at all. It was a simple piece of music designed to offer comfort. Jack had insisted on taking Ianto home and staying the night just to make sure he was okay. They'd sat down together to watch a movie until Jack had dozed off. The Pulse remained safely in the back of the Torchwood SUV.

Ianto looked back Jack and smiled slightly. He loved Jack, he really did and for his company he was glad. Jack was a good person to have in a crisis.

Days passed with nothing changing. Ianto spent most nights alone and wandering around his house aimlessly. He didn't really know what to do with himself. A lot of the time he spent reading books and watching movies; what else was there for a dead man to do? Life carried on normally for everyone else - or as normally as a job like Torchwood would allow. Gwen was excited about her wedding and spoke of little else. Tosh was happy for Gwen and was still working on some new program for the computer that should make their lives easier. Owen was as sulky as ever but Ianto had to admit he was getting on a little better with the doctor now. Jack was just being, well, Jack. He was slightly more held back when speaking to Gwen and that worried Ianto but he never said anything. The Captain's feelings for Gwen were not a topic he really wanted to discuss.

Things didn't get much different until the day of Gwen's wedding. Ianto had been sitting reading a book when he'd been disturbed by his mobile ringing madly. He picked it up and answered the call, "Hello?"

"Ianto!" came the frantic sound of Gwen's voice on the line, "Ianto you've got to help me!"

"What with, Gwen? What's wrong? Aren't you getting married today?"

"I'm pregnant, Ianto!" Gwen blurted out.

Ianto was silent for a moment, unsure what to say, "Oh. Congratu-."

"No! I'm _really _pregnant! As in, just about to have the baby in a week sort of pregnant! That can't have happened over night! What the hell do I do?" she asked helplessly, "Oh god."

"I'll send Owen round, will I?" Ianto asked. He didn't really know what to say to her. How could she be pregnant? She'd been fine the night before? She'd been helping Jack catch a shape shifter or something. And she'd gotten bitten but didn't let Owen check it out because she had to go to her hen night. So maybe... Bloody hell, Ianto thought dazedly. Couldn't _anything _be straight forward?

It wasn't long before they were all gathered in Gwen's flat talking about alien babies. Owen had declared that she was in fact pregnant, and that she couldn't walk down the isle like that. "We have no idea what we're facing here!" he had told them, "It's too risky."

"I can't put Rhys through this," Gwen protested, "He's put up with enough crap from me!" Ianto couldn't help but stare at the large bulge in her stomach that hadn't been there the day before despite looking like it had been there for the last few months. Gwen wasn't one for giving up so, inevitably, she won the argument and it was decided the wedding would have to go ahead anyway. That was why Ianto found himself in a dress shop under the scrutinising gaze of the shop assistant trying to find a dress that would fit a pregnant woman. It turned out to be a much harder task than he'd first expected, but it least it gave him something to concentrate on.


	14. It's Not Jack's Fault

**Author's Note: I'm now on Study Leave, which is awesome. So I'll have vaious amounts of freetime during the next five weeks or so. Probably wont be able to update until the weekend because I have exams on Thursday and Friday this week. Eek!**

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There was always so much to do in preparation for a wedding. Gwen rubbed her eyes slightly and sighed. How could she have woken up on her wedding day and been that far pregnant? That sort of thing just didn't happen! Well, it didn't happen to normal people with normal jobs and normal life styles. None of that applied to Gwen Cooper. She got slowly to her feet, hugely aware of the large bulge that was an alien baby and groaned. She was sitting in the bridal suite in the hotel waiting for her new dress. The wedding was in a few hours and she still had so much to do.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Gwen called.

It was Toshiko. She was holding a large box and had a big grin on her face. "Jack said to give you this. Ianto's been working his magic on the man in the wedding shop apparently."

"I don't even want to know what that means," Gwen said laughing as she gratefully took the box from Tosh and opened it."It's beautiful," she smiled happily. Tosh grinned back and then they stood in silence for a moment. Gwen put the box down on the wooden vanity table beside the mirror and looked closely at herself. Nothing had changed other than the fact she was now heavily pregnant with an alien.

"Are you alright, Gwen?" Tosh asked eventually.

"Rhys blames Jack for all of this," Gwen admitted after a moment's thought, "He's furious."

"I can imagine," Tosh said sympathetically, "I can see why he would be."

So could Gwen. She shook her head slowly, "Why, Tosh? On today of all days? It's just not fair!"

"But you can still get married! Rhys loves you! You're..." Tosh said before breaking off and taking Gwen's arm, "You're very lucky."

"I know," Gwen said softly, "he's been great, considering. But it's not Jack's fault."

"I'm sure Jack's used to people being mad at him because he's in charge," Tosh told Gwen, leading her over to a sofa and sitting down beside her.

"Thanks Tosh," Gwen smiled, "It'll happen for you too, one day. You know, there's Owen..."

"Yeah, right," Tosh half snorted, "As if he'd be interested. I'll let you get on." She stood up and headed towards the door, "I'll be downstairs."

Meanwhile, back at the Torchwood Hub, Jack, Ianto and Owen were looking at the autopsy of the alien that had bitten Gwen. Owen had discovered it was a shape shifter - a Nostrovite. Owen looked worried. "What the hell are we going to do Jack?"

"I dunno," Jack said, puzzled, "We have to get to Gwen. The Nostrovite could be anywhere at that wedding. They're vicious carnivores. Gwen's in huge danger now."

"The Nostrovite bit Gwen?" Ianto mused.

"Yeah. And the male did. His mate will be looking for Gwen now," Jack said, agitated. He grabbed his coat and pulled it on and pulled out his gun from his drawer.

"Why?"

"Because she'll want her baby," Jack said looking disgusted. "They have to... They tear open their host to get their child." The thought upset Jack - everyone could see the worry written all over his face. The prospect of one of the team being in danger was always one that got to him.

"We'll get to her," Owen said confidently, "She'll be okay Jack."

The three man hurried out of the Hub and jumped into the Torchwood SUV and sped off towards the hotel the wedding was taking place in. Owen was zipping up his bag as he jumped into the car. He guessed the singularity scalpel might be useful for getting an alien baby out of someone without the trouble of labour. It would hopefully be slightly less messy. Hopefully.


	15. It Never Will

**Author's Note: Study leave is awesome for giving me time to write updates! Sorry this one took so long, I had exams on Thursday and Friday and was busy over the weekend. Anyways, here's the update. The final scene is for montypython203. Enjoy!**

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"How much further have we got to go?"Owen asked impatiently from the back seat of the SUV.

"Just a few minutes," Ianto replied just as Jack floored the accelerator and hurtled along the rough country roads. Usually Jack's maniac driving would have brought Ianto out in a panicked sweat but now he was dead...? Well, there had to be good things about every situation, didn't there? He glanced back and noted with pleasure that Owen looked considerably less cocky and was now white as a sheet and keeping his eyes fixed on his PDA. It always felt good to get one over on the Torchwood doctor.

They eventually arrived at the beautiful hotel and Jack slammed on the breaks and brought the vehicle to a screaming halt. As soon as it was safe, they all lept out and dashed towards the entrance. Jack didn't pause for thought as he flung the chapel door open and shouted, "Stop!"

Ianto sighed. This was meant to be Gwen's special day. The time when everything was perfect and happy. Somehow getting pregnant with an alien baby, being stalked by an angry mother, and having you boss stop your wedding didn't really come into "perfect". He followed Jack with Owen and saw Gwen looking furious at the alter. Rhys looked positively livid.

"Jack?" Gwen whispered with a hurt tone in her voice.

"Gwen, I'm sorry. But this has to stop now," Jack said holding his hands out as though to try and block an attacker.

"I knew the baby wasn't Rhys's!" Brenda Williams, Rhys's mother, yelled as she jumped to her feet. Ianto rolled his eyes slightly before looking at Owen. The doctor nodded and they headed out of the room.

Ignoring his mother, Rhys glared at Jack, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I told you, Jack, I'm marrying Rhys," Gwen snarled, her voice low and dangerous.

"Yes, you are. But not now!" Jack said firmly.

Owen and Ianto left him to it and hurried up the corridor looking for Toshiko. She hadn't contacted them in a while. Ianto held a tracking device that was locating her comm. "Owen! Got it!" Ianto said. "She's in there." He was standing facing a hotel room. Quickly he drew his gun and stuffed the tracker in his back pocket. Owen stepped forward and kicked the door down and ran in first with his gun loaded. The sight that met them was a shock. Toshiko and a man was tied to the bed. The man looked pretty uncomfortable and stressed out. Toshiko, as always, had kept her cool.

"Are you okay?" Ianto asked anxiously.

"Just get me out of here," Toshiko snapped.

Owen nodded and hurried forwards to help. Then he saw the human remains abandoned on the floor and stopped suddenly. "That's disgusting," he winced before going back to Toshiko and untying her.

"Hey," said the man, "I'm Banana." Ianto groaned inwardly. So now he was meeting a man named after a piece of fruit. Could the day get any stranger? After a few moments came into the room closely followed by Gwen and Rhys. The air was tense and it looked like they'd had a heated argument. "Are you alright Tosh?" Gwen asked anxiously, seeing her friend's irritated expression as she rubbed her wrists where the bond had been.

"Yeah," she said said nodding.

"But _he _isn't," Owen said pointing to the bloody human remains beside the bed.

"Oh God," Gwen gasped, "Mervyn..."

"I want Gwen out of here now!" Rhys snarled, "I want her safe."

"Rhys, we're trying our best-," Jack began but he was cut short by a sudden scream. They all cast around and spotted one of Gwen's girl friends, Carrie, standing by the door looking horrified at the scene. Jack tried valiantly to calm the situation down, "Carrie, listen-."

He was completely unsuccessful. Carrie turned right around and ran down the corridor screaming loudly about Mervyn being murdered. Ianto ran off after her, hoping to contain the situation before it got out of hand. They all knew things would be a hell of a lot harder if the police turned up - which was bound to happen if the girl told everyone. Hearing the girl telling everyone about Mervyn's death, Ianto decided just to jam the phone lines. It would be easier. That way nobody could receive or make calls and the police would be none the wiser. He ran out to the SUV and carefully hunted for what he needed.

Ten minutes later, Owen and Jack hurried over. Owen was talking frantically to Jack, "Listen, I emptied a whole clip into that cow, Jack, and she's still living! Something's making her unstoppable! Our guns don't work."

"Guess we'll need a bigger gun," Jack said casually nodding to Ianto and helping him open the rear of the SUV.

"You found our shape-shifter then?" Ianto queiried as Jack put together the largest of the weapons the team carried with them.

"Yeah," Owen said, "But she keeps changing! We need to find her soon before she hurts Gwen. They've done a runner but Rhys has the singularity scalpel. I told him how to use it, but if it works, we're still gonna have a furious alien woman on the lose."

Suddenly, someone screamed nearby. Jack, Ianto and Owen looked at each other before running towards the sound. Jack could have sworn it was Gwen. They ran until theyy found a small wooden barn. A woman that looked suspiciously like Rhys's mother was standing in the doorway. But then again, Ianto thought, would Rhys _really _wave a chainsaw at his mother?

"You're a bad boy, Rhys! And you know what bad boys get?" she was drawling as she advanced on Rhys and Gwen like a tiger stalking her prey. Jack loaded the gun and fired. Ianto's mouth fell open in shock as the woman exploded into disgusting, bloody pieces.

"How's that for a shape shift?" Jack grinned as the young couple stared at him in utter disbelief and gratitude.

Much, much later on, Ianto stood at the edge of the room watching Tosh dance with Owen. They'd make a cute couple once Tosh stopped pretending she _didn't _love Owen and when he stopped being a prat. It was just like school children dodging around each other with the whole "Does he really like me?" thing going on. He rolled his eyes. Gwen was dancing with Jack in the middle of the room and he suddenly felt a pang of jealously. _He _should be dancing with Jack, not Gwen. Slowly he made his way across the floor until he reached his two colleagues. He smiled. "Mind if I... Um."

"Go ahead," Gwen grinned at him, letting Jack go and hurrying off to find Rhys. Ianto slipped into Jack's arms and wound rested his head on the Captain's shoulder. Jack slid his arms around Ianto's waist and they just stood, swaying to the music. Ianto could feel the warmth of Jack's body against his and could practically hear his heart beating in his chest. Jack gently kissed his forehead and smiled at him. Caught up in the moment, their lips met and the kept responded to each others touch naturally until, suddenly, Ianto pulled away.

"You know we can't take this further, Jack," Ianto whispered with his voice shaking. "I..."

"I know," Jack smiled sadly, "But that doesn't change how I feel about you. It never will."


	16. Not Today Son

**Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is much shorter again, but it sort of explains everything I want to get across right now. Enjoy!**

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The next two weeks passed quietly without much happening until Ianto heard that a local cinema was showing a film not long after Gwen had returned from her honeymoon. He'd forgotten about the place until he'd seen it in paper. He'd smiled as he remembered all the trips he'd made there with his dad when he was a kid. It was a beautiful cinema he recalled. It was always warm and it was always packed with people. Now, however, the cinema meant something different - it also happened to be one of Cardiff's hot spots for Rift activity. And so, Ianto, Owen and Gwen were visiting the cinema in the pouring rain one Friday evening.

The trio were sitting comfortably in the middle of the rows of seats waiting patiently for the film to start. The cinema was reasonably quiet that night compared to how it had been years ago. Ianto was enchanted then as he had been when he was younger. He could almost see himself here as a child, tugging on his father's hand. "Dad!" he'd grin, "Dad can we see another one?" He'd say that almost as soon as the film they'd seen that day had stopped.

"Not today, son," his dad would reply with a grin, "Next week though! But tell you what, how about we get an ice cream?"

"Yeah!" Ianto would grin with his eyes glittering. He'd go home that morning babling about the fantasies he'd seen. His mother would smile and pretend to listen and laugh with him. She was just glad to see him so happy. The cinema was always somewhere to escape. It was a place of magic, freedom and dreams – of different worlds and incredible stories. Life was very different then. He tried not to dwell on the fact that he wouldn't be able to see his parents very often anymore. If they knew he was the living dead... He didn't know what they'd do but it wasn't fair to put them through that. He'd talk to Jack later on about what he should do. Maybe a bit of make-up or something might mean he could fake aging? He didn't know. He'd deal with that later.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed and the film reel began to play dragging Ianto out of his memories and back into the present day. It was an old tape - they could tell that at once mainly because it was in black and white. Ianto watched curiously as a film of a circus played out. He frowned. He wasn't sure this was the film they'd come to see but he watched with interest anyway. There were men lifting barbells, women dancing and jugglers. The circus was clearly in Cardiff; he recognised Hope Street immediately.

"Recognise any long-lost relatives, Gwen?" Owen sniggered. Gwen giggled.

"Ssh!" Ianto hissed, causing Gwen to giggle more.

After a while, it became apparent that they were watching the same reel over and over again. Owen rolled his eyes, "Let's go," he said making to get to his feet.

"No! Wait!" Ianto whispered, his eyes wide, "I just saw Jack!" And he had. On the film was a man holding a gun under his chin. He looked _exactly _like Captain Jack Harkness. Owen and Gwen didn't believe him. They watched impatiently and looked more than a little fed up. The film, however, didn't repeat again so Ianto couldn't prove anything. "But I did see him!" he said uselessly.

"Yeah, whatever," Owen grinned, "C'mon, let's go back to the Hub."

"Alright…" Ianto said getting to his feet slowly but keeping his eyes fixed on the screen. Suddenly, two dark shadows soared right past him. He stares after them as they left the cinema screen. Owen and Gwen hadn't seen anything. Something odd was definitely happening. Had he _really _seen Jack on the screen? He didn't know but he promised himself he'd find out as he walked out into the torrential Cardiff rain.

"So, you saw these shadows?" Jack questioned after he got back to the Hub later on.

"Yeah, and that's not all," Ianto said anxiously, "I so you in the film! Bold as day."

"Really?" Jack grinned, "I thought I heard the music." There was a faraway look in the Captain's eyes as he remembered some part of his past.

Ianto took his hand and smiled, "It was beautiful. All those memories trapped in film forever…"

"Yeah, but the cinema is the reason the travelling show died," Jack told Ianto with almost a hint of bitterness in his voice as he stood up from his desk. "Anyway, I think we need to check out this film of yours. Maybe then we can figure out more about these shadows."


	17. It Shouldn't Happen

**Author's Note: Sorry, exams have been mental and things just got on top of me. Thank you all for your patience, and if anyone has any ideas they would like to see in this story please let me know! **

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"Right, so you're saying something went wrong with the projector?" Ianto checked. He and Jack were standing in the projection room of the cinema with a young man named Jonathan - the one who'd been showing the film earlier that evening.

"Yeah, like it had a mind of its own! It was just playing those circus clips over and over again," Jonathan said running a hand through his hair in evident bemusement. He turned the projector on and then off again looking puzzled; it was working fine then.

Jack frowned and then looked at the film canisters lying on the floor, "So where did you find these?" he asked.

"In the basement," Jonathan replied, "There were loads of them. I'd been putting together clips of Hope Street and the Electro, but the circus wasn't on there, I swear!"

"So the film I saw wasn't even meant to be on there?" Ianto asked incredulously, "How did that work, then?"

"No idea," Jonathan admitted sadly, "That's what scares me. The whole thing just kinda played itself. And there was this sort of organ music? And a smell a bit like iodine or something."

"Like something was trying to get out?" Jack suggested looking puzzled.

"A possessed film?" Ianto said with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah," Jonathan nodded looking worried.

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Jack's comm. burst into life and Toshiko's voice could be heard on the line, "Jack? Something odd is happening. There was a peak of Rift activity at the electro a few minutes back. And I heard this sort of organ music... The same as the music you mentioned earlier. I'm picking up unusual activity nearby now though. I'm sending you the co-ordinates now."

"Alright, thanks Tosh," Jack said, "Now, Jonathan we're going to have to go. If anything else happens give me a call."

"But-," Jonathan began to say but Jack and Ianto had gone already. They left the cinema and stood in the bitingly cold night air outside. Jack looked at his PDA and read over the list of locations Toshiko had sent him. They got into the SUV and began took off down the road. It didn't take them long to reach an old bus shelter not too far from the cinema. Gwen, Owen and Tosh had just arrived and were standing around someone lying on the pavement.

The two men ran over to them at once and looked at the girl on the ground. She was young and pretty but her lips were dried and cracked. Her skin was tinged blue. "Is she…?" Ianto began.

"She's not dead," Owen told him from his position knelt on the ground beside her. "But she should be. She's not breathing but she's got a heartbeat. Dry as a bone though. No saliva, nothing."

"Extreme dehydration?" Jack suggested almost incredulously.

"Something of the sort," Owen nodded.

Ianto looked at the scene and his eyes fixed on the young girl's. Gwen had found her ID card and told them her name was Nettie. She was so young but to have the life sucked right out of her and be left as nothing but a shell? It wasn't right. She was the exact opposite of him it seemed; he was very much alive but trapped in a dead body, but she seemed dead but stuck in a living body. He vowed he'd find out who did this to her and make them pay. Nobody deserved to be trapped in any way, shape or form. Things just weren't meant to happen like that.

Later on, Owen's diagnosis was confirmed at the hospital. Nettie Williams was lying on the hospital bed with no change in her condition whatsoever. She was dead to the world.

"The hospital are treating it like she's in a coma," Owen said bitterly with a frown on his face, "But they're wrong. They're way off the mark!"

Suddenly, Tosh walked into the little room with her PDA in hand. "Jack, there's been another one."

"Where?" Ianto asked.

"A woman in a restaurant in Hope Street," Tosh said, "She was found not long after we left."

Owen checked the woman over and noticed she had exactly the same symptoms as the other victim. He nodded, "Same thing. We need to stop this, Jack. Its like there's something unknown keeping them alive. But that can't happen."

All eyes turned to Ianto.

"It shouldn't happen," Owen corrected, "But who's next? I mean, this could spread pretty quick."

"We have to stop it," Ianto agreed, "These people shouldn't have to experience this." Ianto turned and walked from the room intending to lead the way back to the SUV. He didn't miss Jack's worried look as he turned away and knew the Captain was worried for more than just these people.


	18. Nobody Said Life Was Fair

**Author's Note: Sorry, once again for how long it took to upload this. For personal reasons, I've been having trouble actually writing much over the last week. Thank you all for your patience and support and I hope you like this chapter! **

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Jack hurried after Ianto as the young man left the hospital with pain written on his face. "Hey, Ianto!" Jack called as he ran after him. He caught up just as Ianto was leaving the building and striding into the car park.

"How can you know we'll be able to sort this, Jack?" Ianto snapped as Jack grabbed his arm and turned him around.

The Captain frowned; Ianto had never doubted him before. "What's brought this on?"

"This!" Ianto said pointing back inside the hospital, "Jack, they're not so different to me. They lived a normal life before this. And now they've lost their breath or whatever Owen said! They're not the only ones."

"But you can still think, Yan, you're still very much a conscious, free-thinking human being," Jack said taking his lover's upper arms in his hands and holding him tightly.

"But I'm trapped, just the same as they are," he said miserably, "And you couldn't help me so what makes you so sure you can help them? How d'you know you can make things right again?" Ianto's eyes were filled with confusion and clouds of fear.

"I'm sorry, Yan. You know how sorry I am," Jack whispered as Gwen, Tosh and Owen walked slowly out of the hospital towards them. Gwen held them back for a moment, giving the two men space.

"Sorry, Jack," Ianto said quietly hanging his head apologetically, "I just can't see anybody else trapped in existence. That's not life, what they're going through. That's the same as me. Neither here nor there. I'm dead but I'm alive. They're just alive but dead. It's not fair."

"Nobody said life was fair," Jack said sympathetically, "And believe it or not, I feel exactly the same. I can't die. I'm just as stuck here as you are."

"I know," Ianto said sadly, "But at least you can have a life. Every step I've got to be careful. If I get hurt, I'm hurt forever. You and the others will heal but I never will. Owen said that everything my body needs to heal is dead. What use am I now?"

"You're more use than you think you are," Jack told him firmly. "If we've got people stealing breath, you'll be hard to get." The Captain leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Ianto's lips and ran a hand down the side of his face, "Now. Come on. Let's go back and watch that film again."

Back at the Hub later on, Jack sat and watched the film footage again with his arm around Ianto's shoulders. The rest of the team were standing around watching the film playing on the wall. Occasionally Jack would point to a person and smile before telling them some story or other about them. It turned out he knew quite a lot of people there. Ianto listened intently as Jack spoke of past friends.

Eventually a tall man was shown standing laughing with a gun pointing to his temple. The team turned to stare at their Captain with wide eyes.

"It is you!" Owen said almost incredulously.

"I told you it was," Ianto said quietly. He wasn't surprised that the doctor hadn't believed him.

"I was sensational," Jack grinned broadly.

"Why did you join a circus show?" Gwen asked curiously with her brow furrowed as she tried to work out why her boss would do something like that.

"I was sent to investigate something," Jack said vaguely.

"What?"

"Them," he said as a group of people appeared on the film, all waving, smiling and beckoning. "The night travellers," Jack replied with a faraway look in his pale eyes, "They left a trail of sorrow and destruction behind them everywhere they performed. I joined a show. I was "the Man Who Can't Die" but I wasn't there for the circus really. I was trying to find out about the Night Travellers."

"This was a long time ago then?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, eighty odd years ago or so," Jack said quietly with his eyes fixed on the film footage.

"Something's missing though," Ianto said after a while as they replayed the film.

"What d'you mean?" Owen scoffed, "It's the same film as we saw in the cinema!"

"No, no it's not!" Ianto said leaning forward in his seat, "Rewind it, Tosh."

When she did, Ianto pointed out a water tank. "There used to be someone there! A woman."

Realisation dawned on the doctor's face and he nodded, "Yeah! Wearing next to nothing. I remember her."

"And there was a man in a top hat!" Gwen said, her eyes widening.  
"So they've just escaped from the film?" Ianto asked with a frown, "Seriously?"

"Looks like it."


	19. It Comes With The Job

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry it took me over a month to update this story. I really did try but I've been busy with school - you know how real life can be. I've been a bit stuck with writer's block but I'm sorted more now. It's the school holidays too - which is epic because I can write much more now!**

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Jack and Ianto sped through the streets of Cardiff towards the hospital after receiving an urgent phone call reporting another case. Tosh was busy researching the case further while they were away.

"Apparently there's four casualties this time. They're getting braver," Jack said as he hurtled around a corner. Ianto stared out of the window wondering what would become of the people the Night Traveller's caught. Jack hadn't said much more than that they destroyed everything in their path.

"Jack!" came Tosh's voice over Jack's head set, "The readings are registering the sea inland."

Ianto frowned and looked at his equally puzzled Captain. Jack's brow furrowed but he didn't take his eyes off the road as they sped towards the hospital, "What the hell are they playing at?"

"We've had no more of that though," Tosh said, confusion evident in her voice.

"All right," Jack sighed, "Get back to me if you find anything," he said as pulled into the hospital car park and braked hard when he found parking space. He jumped out of the SUV and slammed the door shut behind him, hurrying towards the reception with Ianto following closely behind. The Captain turned to his young lover for a moment looking almost concerned; his pale eyes filled with care, "Are you sure you want to come in, Yan?" he asked after a short pause.

Ianto nodded firmly at once, "Yes."

"If you don't want to see this again-," Jack began.

"No, I'll be fine, Jack. What use am I if I just stand outside?" Ianto said with a raised eyebrow, "I'll be fine."

Jack's lips curled into a proud smile and he clapped Ianto on the shoulder, "That's my man. C'mon then. Let's see what we've got to work with." He led the way inside the hospital. Ianto imagined this would probably have been the point when he'd take a deep breath and try to steady his nerves against what he might find when he got within the walls of the hospital. He tried to remember what it was to breathe: the rush of oxygen travelling into his body giving life to every atom of his existence, filling his lungs and then the satisfying release of used air. Before the Pharm, he'd almost taken things like breathing for granted. Almost. When people started dying around him - Lisa, for example, he'd realised he was one of the "lucky" ones for still having life. Where did that leave him now?

A pretty nurse led them through to a ward where too children were lying hooked up to monitors and supports. "They were found with their parents near Hope Street," she told them as she crossed her arms across her body, sighing.

"What about the parents?" Ianto wanted to know.

"The same," the nurse said sadly shaking her head. "It's horrible."

"They came from out of the rain..." Jack whispered under his breath to Ianto.

"What did you say?" the nurse asked curiously and when the Captain shook his head she carried on, "It's just I've heard that before? Oh yes, it was Christina! She was a patient at Providence Park - a psychiatric hospital."

Jack's eyes were dancing with the light of a new link, "Is she still there?"

"As far as I know. She's been there for years - ever since she was a kid. I used to work there, see? She was a strange case. She was always odd when there was a travelling show in town, you know like a circus or any entertainment. She used to say that "From out of the rain" and nobody knew what she meant," the nurse explained, caught up in a memory, "She once told me they were trying to steal her last breath, the poor lamb."

Jack cast a sideways look at Ianto, "I think we just found our first witness," he said before turning to the nurse, "Thank you for your time."

It wasn't long before the pair reached the psychiatric hospital. They were introduced to Christina and they sat with her out on the balcony outside the hospital and spoke casually, as though they were merely friends catching up after a long separation. "They came with music and shows... I was five or six at the time..."

"Tells us about them," Jack said with an encouraging smile.

Christina smiled kindly at the two men as she told them everything she could remember - everything about what the people looked like and what they did. Then she turned to Ianto with a small frown, "They touched you as they passed you by. I wonder... There's something different about you," she said.

Ianto looked at Jack before replying, "It comes with the job."

"People went missing when the shows were in town," Christina carried on, "We were told to hold our breath when the show went passed. Lots of people didn't take it seriously. There was a story about a silver flask... They said there were ghosts in the flask. I don't want them to come for me," she said, shaking slightly. "They took my friends. I know they'll come for me too. They'll want my last breath... He was like Ghost Maker. He turned our last breaths into ghosts."

"So if we find this flask we can bring this people back?" Ianto asked hopefully suddenly seeing a plan of action.

"Exactly," Jack agreed before his phone buzzed into life, "Hello?"

"Jack, it's Jonathan. They're here. They're at my flat. The ghosts."


	20. Might Just Bring Our Ianto Back To Life

**Author's Note: I've been away on holiday in Yorkshire so I couldn't update sooner. I really did want to but I couldn't. So, here's a new chapter with a story-changing twist to make up for it. Now I better go do my homework which I've been putting off as long as I could: two twelve hundred word essays, a book to read and a session log to write. Oh the joys of school. Oh, and for any of my Scottish readers, if I don't have an update before Wednesday, good luck with your exam results! I'm really nervous about it now. Three days now! Good luck!**

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Jack and Ianto were at Jonathan's flat within minutes. Both men had their weapons drawn as they walked inside the house through the unlocked door. Jonathan was waiting for them outside the bathroom door looking shell-shocked and pale.

"Who's in there?" Jack asked, gesturing towards the bathroom.

"A woman. Just lying in the bath underwater. I thought she'd drowned," he said with wide eyes.

Ianto looked curiously at Jack to see any reaction the Captain had to that. Jack just nodded and asked, "Anyone else?"

"No," Jonathan shook his head, "But all my film canisters have been opened."

"They're bringing more through," Jack said, understanding suddenly washing over his face. He quickly burst the bathroom door open and swung his gun around watching intently for any sign of movement. Water was spilling over the edges of the bath, forming damp patches on the floor.

"Whoever was here is gone now," Ianto told Jonathan.

"She wasn't…" Jonathan began, struggling with his words, "She wasn't like any person I've seen before. She touched me and her hands were like plastic."

"She's been trapped in film so long," Jack mused, "She'll have become part of it."

"Maybe we should get back to the theatre," Ianto said thinking about what Jack had said about them bringing more film-ghosts through to reality.

"Have you got a video recorder, Jonathan?" Jack asked abruptly as they headed towards the door of the flat.

"Yeah," Jonathan frowned, turning to a chest of drawers that sat beside the wall. He rummaged around for a moment before pulling out a sleek professional looking recorder. He handed it to Jack, "What d'you need it for?"

"I'm going to trap them," Jack grinned boyishly, "If that's what kept them locked up before, maybe filming them again will trap them. Then if we expose the film to as much light as we can…"

"We can blank them out? It'll be like they never existed!" Jonathan realised as Jack and Ianto hurried outside the flat and down the stairs to the street. When all three men were piled into the SUV, Jack sped along the street cutting corners and just generally not obeying any rules of the road. What was an odd ignored red light if it meant people's lives could be saved?

"Jack!" Gwen's voice came over the comm. on the car, "We're at the Electro. Something's happening. Can you get here?"

"We're on our way," Jack told her.

When the pulled up outside the theatre Jack ran in ahead of everyone else. Gwen, Tosh and Owen were waiting in the entrance for them looking concerned. Everyone could hear the piano music playing increasingly louder from within the theatre. Jack tossed the video recorder to Toshiko and gestured for him to follow her. "Stay here," he told everyone else.

Ianto hesitated before leaning against the wall and watching Jack head inside the theatre.

Inside, Jack and Toshiko were immediately faced with the film of the theatre playing. The tall man in a top had with a moustache was almost dancing in front of the screen calling to the figures in the film, "Join us… Join us!"

A woman in a sort of shimmering bathing suit was laughing girlishly beside him. Then her head snapped around to Jack and Tosh, "Jack Harkness!" she whispered. Then she turned to Toshiko with the video recorder and gasped. She looked at the man in the hat and whispered something. The man practically glided weightlessly towards the pair with a cruel smile on his face. He raised a hand and cupped Jack's face with his hand and whispered, "I can steal your breath… Make you a ghost too…" He pulled out a silver flask and held it to the Captain's lips.

Ianto and the other's heard Toshiko's frantic yell from outside the theatre and they all reacted immediately. When they burst through the door they saw hoards of circus performers dancing between the rows of seats laughing and showing tricks. The ring leader – the man in the top hat – was standing in front of Jack clutching a silver flask and smirking. Toshiko started her film, suddenly understanding, and pointed it at the man. He smiled cruelly at her and then threw the flask into the air.

"No!" Ianto yelled and made a dive for it, catching it just before it hit the floor. Toshiko stopped the film and tugged the side open and pulled out the film, breaking it as it came out. With a sudden flash, the ghosts were gone with a faint gasp. Just like that, the room was empty. Jack sank to his knees on the ground and touched a hand to his mouth in bewilderment. Ianto hurried over to him still clutching the flask. "Jack?"

"They tried to steal his breath," Tosh explained, still clutching the film reel and breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" Ianto asked the Captain.

Jack nodded dazedly, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

Ianto smiled and held up the flask, "I'm guessing these are the breaths of everyone in the hospital in "coma"?" he said.

Jack nodded, "Yeah. C'mon. It's time they woke up."

After a few hours, Jack and Ianto had been around everyone the Ghostmaker had put in hospital. Every single one of them were breathing and smiling again. Jack's delight at the outcome was infectious and both men were grinning as they headed out of the reception.

"Jack?" Ianto queried when the Captain tossed him the flask casually as they got into the SUV where the rest of the group were waiting.

"Ianto?" Jack said looking at the other man while he strapped his seat belt on.

Ianto was frowning at the flask and then looked up at Jack. "There's still one in there. I can hear it."

Jack went oddly silent for a moment and then took a deep breath, "Yan, it's mine."

"What?" Gwen whispered from the back seat, "Jack? But-."

"I'm immortal, Gwen. I can't die. I have so much breath in me, you could say, that they can never take it all. That's what I think anyway," Jack explained keeping his eyes fixed on the young Welshman sitting beside him. "And I think it might just bring our Ianto back to life."


	21. Here Goes

**Author's Note: This chapter's a bit shorter but it says what I want it to and I hope you like it! I do. Enjoy. **

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"You really think it'll work, Jack?" Ianto asked quietly looking from the silver flask in his hand to his lover. Ianto hardly dared to let himself hope. Could this mean he could be alive again? Could this mean he could live more than a shallow half-life? Really? He could be free? He could breathe! He could eat! He could cry! He could drink! He could be with Jack properly. He bit his lip and fought against the little flutter of excitement building inside him like a fire. He tried to tell himself that there was no guarantee that this would work. He had to keep realistic.

Jack nodded slowly and then started the engine of the SUV, "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," Gwen said reasonably from the backseat. "Let's get back to the Hub."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm starving," Owen said as he looked out the window while Jack reversed out of his parking space and manoeuvred out of the car park. The atmosphere in the vehicle was tense as they hurried back towards the Hub, avoiding the rush hour traffic of the early evening.

When they got back to the Bay, they trooped inside the tourist office and through the cog door into the Hub. Jack led them all through to the boardroom where Ianto sat down at the front looking anxious and tense.

"You ready, Yan?" Jack asked, nodding to the flask in Ianto's hand once Gwen shut the door behind them.

"I guess. But Jack, in case this doesn't work," Ianto began awkwardly, "I just want you to know that-."

"I know," Jack said abruptly cutting off the younger man, "But it will work." He pulled out a chair and sat down beside Ianto and slung an arm around his shoulders supportively.

"Jack-," Gwen began hesitantly, "What if this only brings him back enough so… so that he can die?" Silence. Everybody had been thinking the same thing and for a moment nobody could think of anything to say that would make the situation seem any better. There were, of course, no correct answers because this had never been done before. Nothing like what they were about to do had ever been done before so there were no results to compare to: no averages, no survival rate statistics, no _facts. _They had nothing.

"I can't stay like this forever," Ianto said eventually, "If I didn't try, I'd carry on like this wondering "what if" for the rest of my existence. I can't do that."

"I think you're right," Jack nodded, "Just so long as you're sure."

"Yes. I am," Ianto confirmed bravely as he began to unscrew the lid of the flask. "Well, here goes." He smiled weakly up at Jack and then held the flask to his lips and opened his mouth. In an instant the white, ghostly vapour shot inside his mouth and down his throat. He gasped and choked, grabbing Jack's hand and holding it tightly. He shut his eyes and then realised he was feeling dizzy. There was a pressure building up inside his head. He needed to breathe. He needed to breathe or he'd die. He could feel his heart thudding suddenly in his chest, aching for oxygen. Every cell in his body was filled with a dull ache. Before he'd even realised what he was doing he was gulping down air as quickly as he could, hyperventilating slightly and choking. Every part of his body was hurting but he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't care. He was breathing! He slowly opened his eyes and realised he could feel Jack's hand in his. There was a pressure along his shoulders and he knew it was Jack's arm but not he could feel it too.

"Jack!" he whispered, "God, Jack, I'm… I'm alive!"

A tear was trailing down the Captain's cheek as he watched Ianto almost shell-shocked, "Yan…"

Next thing he knew, Gwen had flung herself on him and was half laughing and half crying at the same time. "You're alive! You're _actually _alive!"

Ianto noticed he could smell her floral perfume again and instantly a whole memory of feelings and smells shot into his brain vivid and real. _Alive. _

"Welcome back, Ianto," Jack smiled when Gwen released the young Welshman. Ianto grinned and wrapped his arms around Jack's neck and pressed a kiss against his lips, startled by the feelings spreading through his body when he felt Jack's touch. It felt like such a long time since he'd felt anything like this. Jack's kiss was urgent and passionate. There were tears in both of their eyes but nobody cared. They didn't even hear Owen muttering for them to "get a room" or see Gwen elbowing him roughly in the ribs.

Ianto was _alive. _


	22. I Missed This

**Author's Note: Because sometimes we all need a little cuteness. Today was just one of those days when Janto works better than anything to make you feel better. I hope you enjoy this chapter! And a big thank you goes to everyone who reviewed, alerted and favourited last chapter. I think I missed a couple of people because FF wasn't working properly. Oh, and good luck to anyone who's back to school this coming week like I am! And hope everyone's exam results were good (for those who don't know, Scotland got ours on the 5th August)! And if you haven't got them, good luck!**

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The next morning, Saturday, Jack and Ianto got up late and went out for lunch at one of the small teashops in Cardiff. Ianto spent a while just reading through the menu and debating what he should eat. He felt hungry for the first time in ages and it felt bizarre and new. Suddenly when he had the choice of things to eat he couldn't decide what to have. He had had no need for food previously and had emptied his flat of everything edible or dragged it into the Hub and stuffed it in the fridges there. Now he needed food. He needed to eat to stay alive. His body was functioning again and meals were essential. This fascinated the young Welshman and Jack smiled all the while unable to believe either that the man he loved so dearly was living again.

Eventually he settled on a jacket potato with baked beans and cheese and a mug of steaming coffee. Jack ordered the same and both men went and found a table beside the window. Ianto looked more than a little bewildered at the intensity of every sense. He could feel the warmth of the sun pouring through the window and caressing his skin and he could smell the sweet aroma of the bakery products set on display at the counter.

"D'you think this will last, Jack?" Ianto asked eventually looking across at the other man.

Jack shrugged, "I really don't know, Yan, but I reckon so. There's no reason why it shouldn't last. You're alive and you seem to be fine. After he checked you over last night, Owen said there was nothing abnormal. You're just a normal, _alive, _human." He grinned and took Ianto's hand over the table, "And hell I've missed you."

"I've missed me," Ianto admitted, "I feel… I feel whole again, Jack."

"Part of being human is eating, sleeping, smell, touch… Everything. Take that away and… Well. You already know," Jack said gently bringing Ianto's hand up and interlocking their fingers.

"That's not what you said when I was actually dead… or undead, or whatever," Ianto smiled slightly.

"What I said then still stands," Jack said firmly, "You're still you no matter what. Just a different you."  
Ianto laughed, "Sounds like I have some sort of multiple personality disorder."  
The portly waitress gave the couple an odd look as she served their meals and Jack just winked at her. She blushed furiously and then blustered away to busy herself behind the counter. For a moment Jack and Ianto ate in silence, Ianto's eyes lighting up at the taste of the potato covered in thick tomato sauce from the baked beans. Jack smiled warmly as though he was watching a young child try a new food and discovering it was good.

While they ate, Ianto's mind wandered back to the night before. After a through check up from a considerably more-cheerful-than-usual Owen, the rest of the team had gone home and left Jack and Ianto alone. Ianto had taken a long hot shower in the Torchwood bathrooms and revelled in the feeling of hot water rolling on his skin. It was like his world had suddenly become three-dimensional again after being flat and empty. When he stepped out of the cubicle with a towel wrapped round his waist he'd found a grinning Jack Harkness standing waiting for him.

"Fancy meeting you here," Jack had said with a boyish look on his face.

Ianto had blushed slightly (noticing only for a moment how odd it was to have blood rushing around his body again) and then walked over to Jack and held him tightly, burying his face in the older man's neck. "I missed this."

"You're not the only one," Jack had whispered as he backed his young lover into the wall and wrapped his arms around his waist. That night was spent remembering once-familiar emotions and feelings – things that were only memories for so long but now so vivid and real. Ianto wished more than anything that he could keep that moment forever and stay locked in Jack's arms. He wished the morning would never come so the night wouldn't have to end. The moments of pain, pleasure, and happiness were all brilliantly new to Ianto. It was like he was rediscovering the world all over again.

"I can hear your heartbeat," Jack had said quietly as they lay beside each other in the early hours of the morning in Jack's bed. "And your breathing."

Ianto had waited a few seconds before answering then said, "I love you, Jack."

Jack blinked slowly and rolled onto his side so he could look at Ianto properly, "And I never stopped loving you."

Back in the teashop, Ianto smiled to himself as he watched Jack eating his lunch with a contented expression. With Torchwood there often weren't times when they could just be the happy couple Ianto wished they could be. However, sometimes he didn't want things to change at all. How many people could say they saved the world over and over again with their boyfriends? Who could say they died and were brought back to life by the man who never stopped caring? They were together. They were both alive for the moment with nothing but each other's company. Maybe just for the moment they could pretend Torchwood didn't even exist and they were just two normal people.

It was then that Ianto spotted Gwen walking past talking anxiously to PC Andy with her hands in her pockets. She looked upset and annoyed – most likely this was going to involve Torchwood but later on. Ianto wanted to stay with Jack for just a while longer.


	23. Immortal

**Author's Note: I've been back at school for four weeks now and seriously, it's passed so quickly it's actually scary. I have had so much work to do it's been ridiculous. I'm really sorry I couldn't update this sooner but here it is! The update! Enjoy! And thank you so much for your patience and kind reviews! It means the world to me! Seriously, you have no idea how happy reviews make me when I'm trying to tackle the mountain that is school. **

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Life is made up of moments that make you pause for breath. Moments that make you stop and just try and take stock of what's going on around you. There are times when everything seems like it's too much and you don't know how to carry on and it's then you suddenly realise that all you have to do is to keep breathing. Putting one foot in front of the other is the simplest way forward and often all it takes to get to the other side. Life is always worth living and Ianto Jones realised recently that even death is worth living if it meant being alive again later.

Things at Torchwood were as normal as they ever could be for the team after Ianto was brought back to life. Ianto helped Gwen find Flat Holm Island where Jack was helping victims of the Rift be cared for. Owen and Jack went Weevil hunting. Tosh perfected a new defence system in the Hub. Ianto and Jack went to dinner and to the cinema. It was on one such perfectly normal day by Torchwood's standards that yet another life changing revelation came to light for Ianto Jones.

The team were looking for an alien disturbance that had been reported in an old warehouse – a creature living there.

"They're very quiet," Jack had mused as he carefully looked around every pillar with his gun loaded and aimed in front of him.

"Maybe they're sleeping?" Tosh suggested, checking her scanner in her left hand while she aimed her weapon with her right.

"Or hatching?" Ianto added softly over his earpiece while he and Owen explored another area or the warehouse.

"Or maybe they're not creatures at all," Tosh said suddenly, her eyes wide as she noticed a small, silver box on the floor.

"Explosives," Jack breathed, "Out! Get out!"

Ianto's jaw dropped as he noticed the explosive lying on the ground just behind the pillar he was walking around. Owen looked at it in horror, then at Ianto. Together, both men turned and sprinted as quickly as they could out of the way. Less than five seconds later, the explosion cast them all to the ground as through they were nothing but limp dolls. Dust and rubble flew at them from all sides and the intense heat was unbearable.

Jack came gasping back to life with a pained scream. The first thing he was aware of was the intense pain spreading through his body and the rubble paralysing him. Gwen's face swum into focus before him and he could vaguely hear Rhys gasping, "But he was dead!"

"What's he doing here?" Jack managed to ask as he struggled to free himself from the wreckage.

"He gave me a lift. I was late," Gwen explained, "But what about the others? Where are they? Are they okay?"

"Toshiko," Jack said, wincing in pain as he forced a few rocks away from him, "She went the other way." With Rhys's help, it didn't take very long to free Jack and they set off searching for Toshiko, calling her name all the while. Jack wiped blood from his hands and shook himself off, trying to help the aches in his body. After a while, Jack broke away to search for Owen and Ianto, his heart pounding with worry while Gwen and Rhys continued searching for Tosh.

It didn't take him long to find the man he loved and when he did, he felt his blood run cold. "No!" he cried out in panic, hurrying forward and dropping to his knees and digging at the gravel and metal trapping the younger man. "Ianto!" Ianto was slumped in the wreckage, unmoving. "No!"

After a while of moving debris, Jack finally pulled Ianto out of the wreckage and grabbed his wrist, checking frantically for a pulse, "Come on Ianto!" He felt his heart turning to ice when he couldn't find it. "Not again, please, not again!" The Welshman wasn't breathing. He wasn't showing any signs of life whatsoever. Dead. Ianto Jones was dead. Again. Properly dead. Gone. The words rang in Jack's head like an inescapable gong. Just when the first of the tears began to flow, Ianto gasped and frantically reached out to grab Jack's hand. His left arm remained limp and still but he was alive! Jack gaped at him in confusion and then sheer relief and shock let a small joyful laugh escape his lips. "Ianto!"

"Jack?" Ianto whispered, "Jack… What happened?" I think… I think I died?"

It was then that the realisation hit both men, "Yan, you know when you took my breath?"

"Yeah," Ianto whispered, trying to ignore the intense pain in his shoulder.

"I think… I think that's made you like me," Jack whispered.

"What? Like-."

"Immortal."


	24. It Can't Be

**Author's Note: Everybody stare! Paula545 has actually had time to update! Whoa! Something's not right here! Enjoy! **

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After much struggling with heavy blocks and beams, the Torchwood team and Rhys were standing on the edge of the wreckage looking, bewildered. They were all breathing heavily and shaken but for the most part unharmed, save for Ianto's dislocated shoulder, which Owen had fixed in a heartbeat.

"You were lucky that's all you got," Owen said when the Welshman cried out in pain as his shoulder clicked back into place. Ianto met Jack's eyes for a split second and then looked away, both of them evidently thinking about Ianto's death. Ianto couldn't quite get his head around the fact that he'd died and come back to life. It was too big a concept to grasp. He thought he should be able to handle it easily since he'd been the living dead for so long already but no; confusion was filling his mind like penetrating hailstones.

"We were all luck," Jack said quietly as he looked into the rubble of the destroyed warehouse.

"Who did this, Jack?" Gwen wanted to know, her eyes wide and concerned as she followed his gaze. She was leaning against Rhys and he had his arms wrapped around her waist. "And where's the SUV? What's going on?"

"I don't-," Jack began to say but he was interrupted by his wrist strap device beeping loudly. Pulling back his sleeve, the Captain saw the blue hologram of the man he least wanted to see appearing before him.

"That's a bit _Star Wars _isn't it?" Owen said with a hollow laugh, "What the hell does he want?"

Then began to speak, "Hey, team. Of course, there might be a few less of you by now! Don't know if you liked my little gift. Course, you can't die, Jack! And with all that life, all that time, you can't spare any for me." Then the miniature John Hart's face lit up, "Oh, and say hello to the family!" The team looked puzzled and every pair of eyes were fixed on the Captain as though hoping he would explain, expecting him to. Ianto could see a strange mixture of emotion filling Jack's eyes as he watched the hologram.

A second hologram, slightly smalled and with short curly hair, appeared beside that of John Hart and he continued speaking, "Been a while since you've seen your brother, Jack."

"No…" Jack breathed, his face a picture of shock and horror. "It can't be! Gray?"

John Hart carried on, oblivious to Jack's reaction, "Okay. So here's what happens. Everything you love, everything you treasure, will die. I'm going to tear your world apart, Captain Jack Harkness, piece by piece. Starting now. Maybe now you'll wanna spend some time with me?" The cold expression on his face was enough to turn anyone's heart to ice. Ianto's sharp intake of breath was echoed around the rest of the team as the holograms collapsed in on themselves and vanished. Jack just stared at the wrist strap before letting his arm fall to his side. For a moment nobody spoke.

"Jack?" Ianto probed, worried for his lover.

Tosh looked at the little handheld scanner she always took with her, "He's got the SUV and it looks like he's heading back towards the Hub." She changed the screen, "And there's readings of Rift activity all over the city! There's major flares at Saint Helen's Hospital, the Police headquarters and the Central IT Server Station."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Gwen's phone rang, "Andy?" she said when she answered it.

"Hey, you've gotta get down here now. I'm serious, Gwen, we need you! Something's going on," came PC Andy's voice over the line sounding more than a little worried.

"I'm on my way," Gwen said firmly before hanging up and turning to Jack, "This is him isn't it? This Captain John or whatever he calls himself."  
Jack didn't answer her question; he just began to walk purposefully towards Rhys's haphazardly parked car at the otherside of the carpark. "Rhys, drop Owen at the hospital. Then Tosh and Ianto can cover the Central Server building. Gwen, you go to the policestation and then I'm going back to Torchwood."

Hurrying to keep up with Jack, Tosh began to protest, "I think this is a trap-."

"Be careful," Jack said, "You know what he's capable of after last time."

"What are you going to do?" Gwen wanted to know.

"I'm going to reason with him," Jack said simply as he sat in the passanger seat of the car.

Owen scoffed, "You're going to try and reason with a killer? Jack, seriosuly, he tried to kill us!"

"He's got a point," Ianto agreed. He didn't want to be separated from Jack, especially not with John Hart on the loose. John had caused enough trouble last time.

"I was the only one who could control him at the Time Agency. That's why we were partnered," Jack told them simply. Ianto wasn't the only one who noticed their leader's sudden switch from his caring manner to a sudden harsh objectiveness. The Welshman had seen it too many times before and he hated it. Jack had become closed to them again.

"Okay, but why's he here, Jack?" Ianto demanded, "What does he keep coming back? He knows you don't want him!"

"I know. That's what I'm going to ask," the Captain said. Rhys started the car and they drove back to the road and joined the constant flow of traffic into Cardiff city.


	25. A Long Time Dead

**Author's Note: Seriously, I know it's been forever and a half since I updated this and I really do feel kinda bad about it. Fifth year is crazy and It's taken me over a week to write this chapter. I hope you all like it! It's pretty long, so happy reading! It's also the final chapter in this story. I'd like to thank montypython203 for offering me this challenge and I hope you've enjoyed the story! Also, big thanks to everyone who reviewed/favourited/alerted this story. It means the world to me! Finally, in reply to a review from murrmurr, I'm sorry I didn't update sooner but in answer to your question, just this afternoon I heard a rumour about a fourth series of Torchwood, so fingers crossed! Again, best wishes to everyone and thank you for your support. **

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After having left Jack at the Hub, Ianto and Tosh found themselves standing outside the Central Server building. They glanced at each other and sighed. Ianto looked at the building for a moment and said, "I won't be sorry when I never have to see John bloody Hart every again."

"Me either," Tosh agreed and the pair made their way inside, neither of them sure what to expect. John Hart's return had confused everything and there was no simple answer anymore. "Right, there's been ghosts reported in basements across Cardiff. Everything seems to be centred around this building though."

"Ghosts?" Ianto repeated, remembering their last encounter with ghost like creatures with a shudder. Was it ironic that he thought dead people should stay dead? Suddenly, he heard a howl from behind them while the walked along a corridor together. Tosh and Ianto spun around and gasped as creatures much like Death himself, carrying scythes and wearing robes, glided towards them.

Heart pounding Ianto drew his gun just as the phantoms spoke, "Devils! Blasphemers!" He pulled the trigger and fired repeatedly, keeping his eyes fixed on the creatures. Eventually, they began to crumble in on themselves and collapsed.

"Sorted," Tosh said, relieved, lowering her own weapon. "What were they doing here though? What's John done?"

"I don't know," Ianto admitted, trying to hide the growing feeling that it might be because of him that those creatures were there. Maybe they'd come to claim what they considered rightfully theirs? Maybe he was meant to be dead too. They walked along the corridor for a while longer without seeing anyone.

It was a while before a horribly familiar voice sounded over their comm. links. "Hey kids!" John Hart sneered in their ears. Ianto and Tosh looked at each other in alarm but didn't speak. John carried on, "Stop what you're doing and listen up."

"What have you don't to Jack?" he heard Gwen demand.

"Put Jack on now!" Ianto snarled, fear for his Captain, his lover, rising in his throat. "Let him go!"

"Jack's a little tied up right now," John laughed coldly, "Now listen. Get up on the roofs of your buildings. Run! Or you'll miss all the fun… Or do I mean carnage? I get confused. Are you running yet? Go!"

Ianto and Toshiko simultaneously broke into a run and sprinted down the corridor towards a set of stairs, tearing up them as fast as they could go. Heart pounding, the young Welshman skidded to a halt when he climbed up a ladder and pushed open the hatch onto the roof. Pulling himself through, he helped Toshiko up and together they stood looking out on the city breathlessly.

For a moment, Ianto didn't really take in what John Hart was saying in his earpiece about how beautiful the city was. It was only when he said "It all goes so quickly," that he really started to listen intently.

Before anyone even had time to ask what he meant, explosions flared up around them like a supernova. Ianto cried out in horror and alarm as he saw fires spring up all across the city. He was dimly aware of Toshiko screaming but he spoke only on the comm. at that moment, "Jack? Jack! Jack, are you there? Jack, are you okay?"

"Ianto," Tosh said, hurrying over to his side and showing him her scanner urgently, "I'm picking up a huge Rift flare… and it's coming from the Hub."

"Ianto, Tosh, Owen?" Gwen's voice came anxiously, "Are you okay?" She sounded as shaken and terrified as Ianto felt himself.

"We're still here," Toshiko said nodding.

"We're okay," Ianto added, watching as the city burned and then taking a step back towards the hatch into the main building.

"Me too," he heard Owen say quietly.

"Good," Gwen said, evidently trying to create some sort of her plan in her head as she went along. Ianto could vaguely hear PC Andy babbling nervously with Gwen but he couldn't make out any of what the man was saying. Gwen carried on, "Tosh, do we have a scale of damage on the city?"

"Fifteen major explosions, at strategic points across the city. There's currently a surge in traffic 'trying to leave the city but the explosions have cut off' all major routes in and out. Landlines, mobile phones and IT networks all down, TV and radio off air. He's completely crippled us," Toshiko explained. Ianto took a deep, steadying breath as he climbed back into the main building trying not to look at the extent of the damage. They were in a lot of trouble, that much was obvious. Ianto wondered if he was going to die after all, even though Jack had brought him back to life. Death was a constant occupational hazard for Torchwood operatives, Ianto reflected miserably.

After more discussion the team realised the servers for the nuclera power station had shut down and the hospital where Owen was was in chaos with no back-up power generators.

"Right, Toshiko and Ianto," Gwen said with authority injected in her voice as she tried to gain some control over the situation, " I want you to go to stabilise the power plant from the Server Building. That's a priority."

"Okay," Ianto nodded and he and Toshiko took off towards the server room, determined and purposeful. They arrived at the server room within minutes and began looking around for a solution. Ianto located a torch in a drawer and holding it in his mouth, he set to work on the wires of the control board trying desperately to bring it back online for the sake of the city. If the power station was unstable for too long… Well, he didn't even want to think about it.

"It won't work!" Toshiko said frustratedly as she tried the controls urgently, "Come on Ianto!"

"I've got nothing!" Ianto sighed, "Sorry."  
"But we need to restart the servers!" Tosh implored desperately, "If we don't then the reactor goes into meltdown."

"Then I'm going up there," Ianto said firmly. His stomach leapt as he spoke the words but he knew he would have to do it. He couldn't let anything else happen to the city. He couldn't.

"That could be suicide!" Toshiko said softly.

"Jack's not the only one who's immortal now, remember? There has to be something I can do on-site to prevent meltdown!" Ianto argued, "Now are we gonna discuss it or are we gonna do it?"

* * *

"Tosh, leave this to me. I can get there," Ianto said, "I can get there if the Weevils still listen to me. You go back to the Hub."

Toshiko acknowledged this and then pulled out her gun. When they reached the street, Ianto was slightly surprised when the Weevils stepped back from him once again as they had once before. He didn't have time to dwell on it but perhaps it was because he had still been touched by death. He hurried off in the opposite direction to Toshiko and pounded the streets towards the power plant.

* * *

As for Gwen, she was working urgently with John Hart trying to locate Jack. The man had promised he had been forced to act under Gray's command and that he hadn't really wanted to cause the team any harm. When she saw Toshiko hurrying into the building she cried, "I am so pleased to see you!" hurrying towards her. Toshkio's face darkened when she say John and raised her gun and strode forward briskly loading it.

To her surprise, Gwen knocked his hand up, directing the gun towards the ceiling. John sighed, "Don't start, Eye Candy."

"He's going to help us find Jack, Ianto," Gwen said firmly, willing her to listen and understand. "But every scan we've run so far has drawn a blank."

"Well he can start by helping us get those Weevils down into the vaults before they wake up," Toshiko said coldly, "It's going to take more than a bullet to stop them." John sighed and set about dragging Weevils down to the vaults while Toshiko got to work immediately.

"What now?" Gwen asked, looking defeated and drained. She'd run out of ideas ages ago but was reluctant to give up.

"We wait for Owen to get to the nuclear station," she replied resiliently.

Gwen nodded, "Okay… But I'm going to check Jack's office and see if there's some clue there. We need Jack back now." Toshiko didn't answer but merely began typing. Gwen turned and followed the familiar route to the Captian's office. She hesitated outside and then pusehd the door open, walking inside slowly. She looked around but nothing stood out at once. She began searching fruitlessly, hoping for some sign as to where Jack was. The scanners had nothing so she would have to find something.

After sometime searching, her attention was suddenly grabbed by an almighty bang from down in main Hub area. Gwen started and spun around, running through the door and hurtling towards the computers, "Toshiko?" she yelled in panic, "Tosh?"

She skidded to a halt when she saw Gray, Jack's brother, standing by the entrence from the vaults with a revolver in his hand. He was looking down at Toshiko, struggling to support herself at her desk, looking horrified and agonised. She had her hand clutched to her stomach and Gwen could see the blood gushing out. In an instant, she felt rage boil up within her like lava from a volcano. Without thinking she drew out her own gun and fired once, twice, three times, straight at Gray. She didn't care who the man was right at that moment. All she knew was that Tosh was dying and it was his fault.

"Tosh?" she probed, dropping down beside her colleague and friend as she struggled to reach for her comm. She handed it to her and began searching urgently for a medical kit. "Stay with me," she begged, "Please Tosh, please!"

"I'm fine, Gwen," she lied as she turned on her comm and began relaying instructions to Ianto at the other end of the line. Gwen grabbed a medical kit from Owen's workstation and hurried back to her. She quickly injected her with a shot of adrenaline and applied several thick pads onto the wound to try and stem the bleeding. "John!" she yelled urgently, "John_!" _There was no answer and she began to dread what she might find in the vaults if she went down. She didn't particularly care about John Hart but she desperately needed help just then. "Toshiko, I'm going to get help."

"Okay," she nodded before going back to talking to Ianto, "I'll open the system protocol, you just need to enter the timeframe and authorise, OK?"

Gwen sprinted down to the vaults and her heart leapt into her mouth when she was faced with none other than Jack Harkness. She laughed in relief and happiness, "Jack!" she breathed, "I thought I'd lost you…"

Jack shook his head, "Never," he said with a small, pained smile as he released from a vault where he appeared to be trapped.

"Toshiko…" Gwen said, "Gray shot her. You need to help, I don't know how much else I can do."

Together, they hurried up the back towards the main area. Jack skidded to a halt for a moment when he saw the body of his brother lying motionless on the floor and the hurt look in his eyes tore Gwen apart. Then Jack darted over to Toshiko, taking her hand. Gwen hung back, unsure what to do. Just then he noticed a flashing light one of the computer screens.

"The nuclear power station's gone into meltdown!" she cried, "Ianto's there!" a lump stuck in her throat as she spoke. "Did he…?"

"Ianto…" Toshiko said with tears in her eyes, "He's okay. He died… But immortal. Came back… Got out. Internal meltdown…" Jack took her hand gently and as he tried desperately to help her but Gwen knew as soon as she closed her eyes moments after saying those words that she was beyond saving. When her body went limp she knew it was over. She saw Jack crumple but for a moment she didn't want to accept what had happened. She sank down on to the floor and buried her head in her knees and let the tears fall.

* * *

Sometime later, Ianto and Owen arrived back at the Hub looking upset and shaken. Ianto felt his heart sink when he saw Toshiko's body and he turned away in fury, hurt and despair. He hadn't known she was dying. He hadn't known she was hurt at all. She'd told him she was fine. It seemed that no matter what, death was ever present in Torchwood. He let himself fall to the ground, unable to stand any longer.

He remembered something his Mum had said once, "Live for now, Ianto, because you're a long time dead." Right then though, he looked around at the hurt and broken expressions of his friends and wondered if this was all life was. He couldn't die. He'd stay alive forever. What was the point of "living for now" then? What was the point when he had forever?

Then when he looked at the team again, he knew the answer. He lived for them, and the people who would join the team later, and then those who joined later... But more importantly, he lived for Jack - and Jack needed him right now, just the same as Ianto needed him.


End file.
